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BANK ROBBERY | Kirkland and Everett men charged in Kirkland Key Bank robbery [3]
Giving thanks | Sisters organize food FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2012 donations for Hopelink [6]
Kirkland judge drops assault case between Jerramy Stevens, Hope Solo female suffering from a hip injury, and a 34-yearA Kirkland judge old male suffering from dropped the domestic vio- multiple bumps, scrapes lence assault case against and contusions. Kirkland former Husky Jerramy Fire Department personStevens on Tuesday due to nel treated the injuries. insufficient evidence. Based on informaKirkland police arrested tion provided by those Stevens on Monday for involved and upon the ofallegedly assaulting and ficers’ observations of the injuring former Husky scene and visible evidence and Olympic gold medalpresent, officers arrested ist Hope Solo during a Stevens on investigation house party altercation of fourth-degree domestic between eight people. Solo violence assault on the is believed to be Steven’s female resident who suffiancée, but his attorney fered a laceration to her wouldn’t confirm. elbow, believed “The issue to be Solo. here is whethThe victim er the crime was reported was committo be the ted and the fiancée of answer is ‘no,’” Stevens. The said Steven’s investigation lawyer, Todd was forwardMaybrown. ed to Kirk“No crime land’s Family was commitViolence Unit ted, she was Detective for not assaulted further inves(by him).” tigation. Kirkland The female Todd Maybrown, who police ofrepresents former Husky with the hip ficers were injury and the Jerramy Stevens, speaks dispatched to to media at Kirkland male with mula disturbance Municipal Court on tiple scrapes call in the 6400 Monday. MATT PHELPS, and bruises block of N.E. indicated they Kirkland Reporter 138th Place at had been as3:45 a.m. on Monday. saulted by a male who had The call involved a come to the party and fled physical altercation beprior to police arrival. tween eight people during They could only proa house party and the use vide a vague description of a stun gun. of this subject and stated Upon arrival, officers they did not know him. contacted several people Stevens has a history of at the residence who apprior convictions. peared to be intoxicated “Perhaps he doesn’t and were uncooperative get a fair shake because as officers began their people look at that past investigation. history, whatever it is, and Officers found a reach conclusions that 31-year-old female sufferthey shouldn’t reach,” said ing from a laceration to Maybrown. the elbow, a 32-year-old
State title | Lake Washington girls swim team wins state title [10]
Tent City resident charged with child rape
REPORTER STAFF
BY CARRIE RODRIGUEZ crodriguez@kirklandreporter.com
Kirkland residents Chris McDaniel (right), with his son, Max and his partner, Shaun Kelly (left) and Shaun’s son, Caspian. CONTRIBUTED
Beyond marriage: Gay couple sees new measure as acceptance BY CARRIE RODRIGUEZ crodriguez@kirklandreporter.com
W
hile thousands of same-sex couples in Washington are planning their lavish wedding days – some as soon as Dec. 9 – Shaun Kelly and his partner are in no hurry. “I’ve got a feeling that it’s going to be very busy in the gay community. I don’t think there’s going to be a free weekend on the gay calendar for at least a year,” said Kelly on the passage of Washington’s Referendum 74. “Everybody is just going
to buy bulk amounts of toasters and wedding gifts. It’s something that I really want but I don’t want to think about it too much until it happens.” In fact, for Kelly and his partner, Chris McDaniel, R-74 goes far beyond weddings and even marriage. It’s about children – and being accepted. “You don’t go down on bent knees and ask somebody to be in a civil union,” said Kelly, 44, who campaigne d for R-74. “It just makes a big difference in what people are allowed to do and how it makes
people feel more accepted in the community. That’s the biggest part of it for me, is just acceptance and the ability to be seen as being a regular person.” He added that the measure will also allow children of gay couples and gay children themselves to feel accepted. R-74 asked people to approve or reject a state law legalizing same-sex marriage that legislators passed earlier this year. Gov. Chris Gregoire signed that law in January but it was placed on hold pending the election’s [ more MARRIAGE page 3 ]
A man residing at Tent City 4 in Kirkland was charged Nov. 8 with raping a child in Tacoma before he moved to the homeless encampment at St. John Mary Vianney Catholic Church in October. Robert Bruce McKayErskine, 35, was charged with three counts of first-degree child rape and two counts of first-degree child molestation on Nov. 8 in Pierce County Superior Court. Tacoma police arrested the man at the Kirkland church on Nov. 7 and his bail was set at $100,000 . In response to the arrest, church officials sent out a letter to the church community on Nov. 8, notifying people of the incident. “I want to assure you that the accused, like all residents, was subjected to a thorough background and a sexualoffender check prior to being granted residence at Tent City,” said church Pastor Ramon Santa Cruz in the letter, noting the background checks came up clear. The criminal charges were filed on Oct. 26, nearly two weeks after McKay-Erskine became a Tent City resident. Tacoma police responded to the sexual abuse claims on Oct. 11, two days before Tent City moved to Kirkland. Following the arrest, parish staff met with Tent City staff and have taken steps to implement a system of random weekly sexual-offender checks for residents to “assure the safety and security of our neighbors, parishioners and all who use our parish [ more TENT CITY page 2 ]