City to pay $1.75 million to Mardi Gras victim's family

Seattle Times

August 15, 2002
By Gina Kim
gkim@seattletimes.com

A photograph of Kristopher Kime hangs in the office of Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels to remind the mayor of the importance of public safety. The city went a step further yesterday to console the family of the 20-year-old beaten to death during the Mardi Gras melee last year, agreeing to pay it $1.75 million.

"Kristopher's death was obviously a terrible loss for his family and his friends, and it was a tragic day for the city of Seattle," Nickels said. "My hope is that this will bring some closure for his family."

As part of the mediated settlement, the city will also establish an annual scholarship of $2,500 for a high-school student or young adult who has demonstrated compassion and self-sacrifice and will memorialize Kime with a plaque to be placed in Pioneer Square. And Kime's family will meet with Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske and be notified of all future City Council Public Safety Committee meetings.

"The other terms were so much more important than the monetary terms," Kime's father, Ken Kime, said yesterday. "We spent more time on that."

The Kime family will discuss the settlement further at a news conference today.

Kristopher Kime, of Kent, was a graduate of Evergreen High School in the Highline School District, where he lettered in soccer and was team captain his senior year. He loved music and hoped to become a radio disc jockey.