Could Clemmons’ aunt have saved taxpayers $1 million? (News Tribune)


Could Chrisceda Clemmons, the aunt of notorious felon Maurice Clemmons, have saved her Leschi house from being trashed and saved Seattle taxpayers nearly $1 million?

Kathleen Merryman, columnist at The News Tribune of Tacoma, says yes.


Merryman says that while Chrisceda Clemmons is at times portrayed as a victim, the woman waited more than an hour and took four calls from Maurice Clemmons before going to police. During one, Maurice Clemmons told her he’d murdered four police officers and was the subject of a massive manhunt.

More from Merryman:

She also could have saved one of her neighbors (and the taxpayers) the loss and costs of dealing with the five canisters of tear gas shot into the house next door.

Had she called 911 right away, the police could have been there when Clemmons showed up, which police believe he did. If he did not come, she would have been there to tell them so. They could have searched the house instead of filling it with chemicals.

If he had come and police had successfully ambushed him, the whole region would have been spared the manhunt that went on for another night and day. It ended only when Clemmons, who had a gun, came at the Seattle police officer who shot him dead around 2:45 a.m. (Dec. 1, 2009).

The Seattle Times reported the city reached a settlement with Chrisceda Clemmons, dishing out $973,858 for damage to the Leschi house.

Read more from Merryman here.

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Casey McNerthney