Portland sex abuse verdict leaves Boy Scouts vulnerable to more lawsuits

Source: The Oregonian

Legal experts say Tuesday's verdict against the Boy Scouts by an Oregon jury could have a snowball effect in much the same way high-profile molestation suits against the Roman Catholic Church had early on.

The Boy Scouts of America and Oregon's Cascade Pacific Council defend themselves against a $29 million lawsuit by a man molested by volunteer Timur Dykes.They say the $1.4 million verdict could spur more former Scouts who were victims of sexual abuse to file suits.

"There is a sense of relief, validation and empowerment and psychological well-being when you see that your story can be embraced by a jury of your peers," said Portland attorney David Paul, who has represented abuse victims suing a wide range of institutions but was not involved in this case. "It's not just about the money."

Although the Boy Scouts of America has been sued at least 60 times since the mid-1980s, no other Scout sex abuse trial has garnered such intense scrutiny coast to coast and had such potential to damage the Boy Scouts' brand, said Patrick Boyle, the leading national expert on the issue and the author of "Scout's Honor: Sexual Abuse in America's Most Trusted Institution."


Read more: http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2010/04/portland_sex_abuse_verdict_lea.html

the carpet. Children are finding it harder and harder to find organizations that aren't freaky, and are able to be just children.

They teach discrimination while they molest kids...Sounds like the typical religious based institution.

This was an LDS/Mormon troop. Very much a religious institution.

"In Lewis' case, his attorneys said assistant Scoutmaster Timur Dykes was allowed to continue to associate with the program even though he confessed in January 1983 to Bishop Gordon McEwen. McEwen was the bishop of a Southeast Portland ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and coordinator of the ward's Scouting program. Lewis testified Dykes molested him in 1983 and 1984."....

"Jurors found the Boy Scouts of America 60 percent liable, the Cascade Pacific Council 15 percent liable and the Mormon church 25 percent liable. The church, however, does not have to pay its share of the verdict -- $350,000 -- because it settled with Lewis and seven other of Dykes' victims more than a year ago. That settlement was not disclosed. "