Kurt Cobain Suicide Investigation

At this time, the Seattle Police Department’s Legal Unit is operating under a backlog of over 2, 000 open requests. We deeply appreciate your understanding and patience as we work diligently to respond to all pending requests.


Dear Ryan Bronte:

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To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Washington Public Records Act, I hereby request the following records:

Please provide any and all documents, reports, photos, and video recordings related to the suicide of Kurt Cobain that occurred in his Seattle, Washington residence on April 5, 1994.

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 5 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Ryan Bronte (Student at Tulane University)
rbronte@tulane.edu

Upload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/

11/28/2023

Ryan Bronte
requests@muckrock.com

RE: Public Disclosure Request #: P161533-112723

Dear Ryan Bronte,

This communication is in response to your public disclosure request.

The purpose of this correspondence is to provide you a status update. Your request status is: Assigned.

If you have any questions, you may send messages using the Police Records Request Center or call the Public Disclosure Desk at 206-684-5481.
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At this time, the Seattle Police Department’s Legal Section is operating under a backlog of thousands of open requests. We appreciate your understanding and patience as we work diligently to respond to all pending requests.

12/05/2023

Ryan Bronte
requests@muckrock.com

RE:  Public Disclosure Request#: P161533-112723

Dear Ryan Bronte,

This communication is in response to your public disclosure request.


The purpose of this correspondence is to provide you a status update.  Your request status is:  Being Researched/Reviewed.

If you have any questions, you may send messages using the Police Records Request Center or call the Public Disclosure Desk at 206-684-5481.


Please add seattle@mycusthelp.net to your E-mail contacts/address book to ensure delivery of the record center E-mails to your Inbox.

This is an auto-generated email and has originated from an unmonitored email account. Please DO NOT REPLY.

SPD receives over 10,000 public records requests annually and is processing thousands of open requests at a time. This may result in a slower than average response time.

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12/05/2023

Ryan Bronte
requests@muckrock.com

RE: Public Disclosure Request#: P161533-112723

Dear Ryan Bronte,

Dear Ryan Bronte:
This communication is in response to your public disclosure request received on November 27, 2023.
Your requests seek records related to SPD’s investigation of the death of Kurt Cobain, all disclosable records associated with 94-16500, the investigation of the death of Kurt Cobain, are available online on the SPD Blotter at the following link: http://spdblotter.seattle.gov/2014/03/31/detectives-reviews-cobain-case-which-remains-closed/

That link is to the SPD Blotter which has an update on the case from March 15, 2016. Near the bottom of the page there are links to 4 PDFs and 1 Zip file which have the documents from the case responsive to your request. One of the PDFs contains an exemption log detailing redacted and withheld content and exemptions applied.

Also as a courtesy, I have attached the Order Granting Summary Judgment, dated May 20, 2016, by King County Superior Court Judge Patrick Oishi, which permanently enjoins SPD from releasing any records from the case file regarding the death of Kurt Cobain that had not previously been disclosed; i.e., the records posted on the Blotter. I have also attached the Court of Appeals decision which upholds Judge Oishi’s decision.
As such, we will now be closing this request.
Thank you,
Nina Afereti
SPD Legal Unit

If you have any questions, you may send a message using the Police Records Request Center or call the Public Disclosure Desk at 206-684-5481.

Sincerely,
Penina Afereti
Seattle Police Department
Legal Unit

SPD receives between 7, 000 and 8, 000 public records requests annually and is processing between 2, 500 to 3, 000 open requests at any given time. This may result in a slower than anticipated response to your request. Thank you for your
patience.

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