Kris Kime
Encyclopedia
Kristopher Kime was a 20-year-old Auburn, Washington
resident and Highline Community College student who was knocked down and beaten to death during the Mardi Gras
riots that occurred in Seattle's Pioneer Square district early in the morning of February 28, 2001.
As he lay dying in the streets, police officers stood on the sidelines and watched. His friends ran to the police and asked for assistance. The police were instructed they could not enter the riot zone, so they did not intervene. Off-duty fire department workers and his friends carried Kris out of the zone onto a nearby street. He was placed in a police vehicle, driven to Harborview Medical Center
, and placed on life support. He died later the following night. The cause of death was listed as resulting from a fractured skull and subdural hematoma
.
The police guild supported the Kime family. A contingent of officers attended the funeral of Kristopher Kime
In the wake of the riots, Mayor Paul Schell
announced a moratorium on Mardi Gras
celebrations in Seattle.
Kime's family filed a lawsuit against the City of Seattle, claiming that the City enhanced the danger to citizens. The claim was based on the City's instructions that officers should stand by and not intervene. The lawsuit claimed this empowered and emboldened lawlessness as gang members and others brutalized innocent revelers. When the case settled, the family received $1,750,000 from the City, and annuity payments which would be used to set up a scholarship in Kris Kime's name. In addition a bronze plaque was placed in Pioneer Square in memorial to Kris's life.
The attacker was identified as 17-year-old Jerell Thomas. He was convicted of second-degree murder
in 2001, but the conviction was overturned when the State of Washington revised its "felony murder" law a year after the attack happened. In 2006, Thomas, now 22, was retried and pled guilty to the lesser charge of second-degree manslaughter
, receiving a 10-year jail sentence. However, due to previous time served and good behavior, according to his lawyer, Jeff Kradel, Thomas could be out of prison by late 2008. Jerell Thomas was released from prison in 2010. Shortly after his release, he reoffended.
story in March 2006 reported that Kris Kime's organs had been made available for donation after the young man's death. Five recipients received organ transplants. All five individuals that received the organs were invited to the wedding of Kris's sister, Kirsten, which was held just days after the story aired. Kris's mother is a lead volunteer for the local organ donation non-profit organization.
Auburn, Washington
-Parks:Auburn has an extensive system of parks, open space and urban trails comprising 29 developed parks, 5 undeveloped sites under planning, 2 skate parks, 2 water roatary parks, and over of trails , and almost of open space for passive and active recreation.-Environmental Park:The Auburn...
resident and Highline Community College student who was knocked down and beaten to death during the Mardi Gras
Seattle Mardi Gras Riots
The Seattle Mardi Gras riots occurred on February 27, 2001, when disturbances broke out in the Pioneer Square neighborhood during Mardi Gras celebrations in Seattle, Washington. There were numerous random attacks on revelers over a period of about three and a half hours. There were reports of...
riots that occurred in Seattle's Pioneer Square district early in the morning of February 28, 2001.
The Incident
Kime was bending over to help a young woman who was lying on the ground and being attacked. As he bent over, he was struck on the back of his head by Jerell Thomas. He fell onto the pavement and struck his head again. As he lay there, other rioters began to kick him. His friends and others surrounded him to protect him.As he lay dying in the streets, police officers stood on the sidelines and watched. His friends ran to the police and asked for assistance. The police were instructed they could not enter the riot zone, so they did not intervene. Off-duty fire department workers and his friends carried Kris out of the zone onto a nearby street. He was placed in a police vehicle, driven to Harborview Medical Center
Harborview Medical Center
Harborview Medical Center, located on Seattle's First Hill, is a public hospital in King County, Washington and is managed by UW Medicine.-Overview:...
, and placed on life support. He died later the following night. The cause of death was listed as resulting from a fractured skull and subdural hematoma
Subdural hematoma
A subdural hematoma or subdural haematoma , also known as a subdural haemorrhage , is a type of haematoma, a form of traumatic brain injury. Blood gathers within the outermost meningeal layer, between the dura mater, which adheres to the skull, and the arachnoid mater, which envelops the brain...
.
Aftermath of Mardi Gras Riots
Kris Kime's mother, Kimberly Kime-Parks, blasted the Seattle Police Department for letting the riots escalate out of control. "I always thought police were there to protect and serve, but they weren't there to protect and serve my son," she said. Other people questioned why police didn't act sooner.The police guild supported the Kime family. A contingent of officers attended the funeral of Kristopher Kime
In the wake of the riots, Mayor Paul Schell
Paul Schell
Paul Schell, born Paul Schlachtenhaufen on October 8, 1937, in Fort Dodge, Iowa, was the 50th mayor of Seattle, Washington. His four-year term as mayor began on January 1, 1998....
announced a moratorium on Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras
The terms "Mardi Gras" , "Mardi Gras season", and "Carnival season", in English, refer to events of the Carnival celebrations, beginning on or after Epiphany and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday...
celebrations in Seattle.
Kime's family filed a lawsuit against the City of Seattle, claiming that the City enhanced the danger to citizens. The claim was based on the City's instructions that officers should stand by and not intervene. The lawsuit claimed this empowered and emboldened lawlessness as gang members and others brutalized innocent revelers. When the case settled, the family received $1,750,000 from the City, and annuity payments which would be used to set up a scholarship in Kris Kime's name. In addition a bronze plaque was placed in Pioneer Square in memorial to Kris's life.
The attacker was identified as 17-year-old Jerell Thomas. He was convicted of second-degree murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
in 2001, but the conviction was overturned when the State of Washington revised its "felony murder" law a year after the attack happened. In 2006, Thomas, now 22, was retried and pled guilty to the lesser charge of second-degree manslaughter
Manslaughter
Manslaughter is a legal term for the killing of a human being, in a manner considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is said to have first been made by the Ancient Athenian lawmaker Dracon in the 7th century BC.The law generally differentiates...
, receiving a 10-year jail sentence. However, due to previous time served and good behavior, according to his lawyer, Jeff Kradel, Thomas could be out of prison by late 2008. Jerell Thomas was released from prison in 2010. Shortly after his release, he reoffended.
Organ Donation
A CBS NewsCBS News
CBS News is the news division of American television and radio network CBS. The current chairman is Jeff Fager who is also the executive producer of 60 Minutes, while the current president of CBS News is David Rhodes. CBS News' flagship program is the CBS Evening News, hosted by the network's main...
story in March 2006 reported that Kris Kime's organs had been made available for donation after the young man's death. Five recipients received organ transplants. All five individuals that received the organs were invited to the wedding of Kris's sister, Kirsten, which was held just days after the story aired. Kris's mother is a lead volunteer for the local organ donation non-profit organization.