Killers' parents, gun supplier offer a blanket $1.6 million to up to 37 families of victims

By Holly Kurtz and Jeff Kass
Denver Rocky Mountain News Staff Writers

The families of the Columbine killers and one of the young gun suppliers have offered dozens of victims a blanket $1.6 million settlement.

The money, apparently coming from homeowners insurance policies, could be divided among as many as 37 families of those killed and injured in the deadliest school shooting in U.S. history.

That's about $43,000 per family, if the settlement is eventually accepted and funds are equally divided.

The settlement offer was laid out in a Nov. 20 settlement letter signed by C. Michael Montgomery, an attorney writing on behalf of the families of killers Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold and gun supplier Mark Manes.

The settlement parties could include 13 victims' families represented by a group of attorneys led by Stephen Wahlberg, six families represented by attorney James Rouse, and 18 families who haven't filed claims, according to the letter obtained by News4.

"At this point, it's a very preliminary negotiation," said Wahlberg. "That offer has not been accepted. The way the funds would be distributed has not been determined."

A neutral observer, such as a mediator, would likely decide how to divide the money should a settlement be reached, Wahlberg said.

But Wahlberg said there was much work to do before any settlement could be accepted.

He expressed hope that Robyn Anderson, Philip Duran and possibly others believed to have enabled the killers will contribute to the settlement. That will require negotiation.

Families of 18 victims who have made no claim must be contacted to determine whether they want to participate in the settlement.

And then there's the matter of the six deceased students' families represented by Rouse, who have yet to join the settlement demand led by Wahlberg.

"I want to do whatever's best for my clients," Wahlberg said. "If there's enough money and there are enough defendants, it always makes sense to settle."

Neither Rouse nor Montgomery could be reached Tuesday night for comment. Montgomery has been the Harris' attorney.

Attorney Kim Ikeler represents the families of Valeen Schnurr, Evan Todd and Jeanna Park, students who were injured in the shooting. They are suing the sheriff's office, but not the Harrises, Klebolds or Manes, Ikeler said Tuesday night.

But Ikeler welcomed a settlement offer that will help pay his clients' hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical expenses.

"What can we do for these people?" Ikeler asked of his clients. "If we can have some way of making these insurance companies feel they are helping with Columbine, and helping themselves by avoiding litigation, that's great."

Ikeler said it was his understanding that the $1.6 million will come from homeowners insurance policies. He said settlement talks have been going on for months, and a figure around $1.6 million has usually been mentioned.

Randy Graves, whose son Sean was seriously injured in the April 20, 1999, Columbine shootings, says he has yet to make a decision about the settlement offer. He doesn't know what his family's share would be.

"I'm not greedy but I want to make sure I, as a parent, can protect Sean for his future," Graves said. "I think settling is the right thing to do. I don't think dragging this thing out is the right thing for the community."

Contact Holly Kurtz at (303) 892-5082 or kurtzh@RockyMountainNews.com. Contact Jeff Kass at (303) 892-2406 or kassj@RockyMountainNews.com.