Nampa LDS Ward and BSA hit with sex abuse lawsuit

[Beavah]

Anyone who gets a scout-related news feed or has dealt with such things within the BSA sees these sad tales go by on a regular basis. But this one caught my eye, because it relates to a discussion we had some months back about statutes of limitations for these things.

 

This is a 40-year old accusation! The first the BSA hears about it is when the media contacts 'em for a comment about the suit. Da plaintiff attorney also looks to be venue-shopping, filin' the $5M suit in Oregon even though the council and troop are in Idaho. It can be difficult to defend against this sort of thing (do you know where you were on June 12, 1967, and how to contact da witnesses to confirm that?). Even then, the damage to reputation can be dreadful.

 

Law must balance the scales of justice between victims of bad acts, whom we rightly feel for and want to defend, and defendants accused of bad acts, who may well be innocent.

 

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http://www.2news.tv/news/15817857.html

NAMPA - A new childhood sexual abuse lawsuit will be filed Thursday against a Nampa area Boy Scout troop and LDS ward, Portland attorney Kelly Clark said.

 

Clark, who frequently handles such cases around the country, said the case will be filed in Circuit Court in Malheur County, Oregon, where some of the abuse occurred, although the Boy Scout troop, No. 101 and the LDS ward, Nampa Second Ward, were based in Nampa.

 

Dave Kemper, a representative of Boy Scouts of America Ore-Ida, said he was unaware of any lawsuit.

 

"Anytime there is an allegation it's taken very seriously," Kemper said. "Since we're not aware of any of it, it would be pre-mature to comment. And we will take the appropriate action based on the circumstances in regard to the allegation."

 

Clark will be in the Boise area on Thursday and will provide more details, he said.

[Gold Winger]

"do you know where you were on June 12, 1967, and how to contact da witnesses to confirm that?"

 

I was 8, we were driving from Arizona to Pennsylvania. My brother was in the back seat with me and will testify to that.

[evmori]

Why did he wait 40 years to file a suit? While this could be true, it sounds more like someone wants a ride on the gravy train.

 

Ed Mori

1 Peter 4:10

[le Voyageur]

"do you know where you were on June 12, 1967, and how to contact da witnesses to confirm that?"

 

I was third seat in a RA 3B photo bird shooting photos of the Ho Chi Minh trail... However for a witness, sorry - both the pilot, and photo/nav on that flight would later buy the farm...

 

However, good point. 40 plus years makes for a lot of very fuzzy memories. Going to be a tuff court case if the judge dosen't toss it.....

 

 

[packsaddle]

If it was between the hours of 10am and 12 noon I was in a college summer school course on Calculus and Analytical Trig. Between 2pm and 5pm I was doing swim practice. Otherwise I have no alibi.

 

Edited part: Yeah, I bet it gets thrown out unless someone comes up with real evidence.(This message has been edited by packsaddle)

[John-in-KC]

B,

 

I can tell you are seriously upset over this. Not a single written colloquialism (that's a hallmark of your writing).

 

Do you think the judge will allow this to unfold, or is this a dead letter?

[Oak Tree]

John,

 

I think that Beavah may indeed find this to be seriously objectionable, but I think it's interesting that you don't see any written colloquialisms in his post. It may be that you've just been reading him too long and don't notice them now. :-)

 

"contacts 'em"

"Da plaintiff"

"filin' the $5M suit"

"da witnesses"

 

Long live colloquialisms.

[Beavah]

Yah, I reckon John-in-KC is just startin' to get used to talkin' like a cuddly, cute little beavah, eh? I bet when he meets friends for lunch now he starts up with, "Yah, yah, how 'bout da weather then, eh? Cold enough for yeh, is it? Yah."

 

Everybody tells me that when I'm thinkin' and makin' points or arguments my accent fades, tho. Must be from all that time in school or writin' formal stuff. Like a beavah in a big city, I reckon' it's just puttin' on airs! Yeh can take da beavah out of the pond, but yeh can't take da pond out of the beavah?

 

Beavah

 

[Eagledad]

>>Yah, I reckon John-in-KC is just startin' to get used to talkin' like a cuddly, cute little beavah, eh?

[SSScout]

Chain of thought...

 

Beaver...teeth...orthodotia...braces...hold pants up...pants too big...need trip to store... spend money... need money... get job...not enough...sue some poor Scouter, from, oh 40 years back...Irving settle out...dues go up... DEs pressured to do more FoS presentations...Blue and Gold dinners...Resentful parents... fewer Cubs...more recruitment...overworked/guilty feeling Commissioners...spouses not home... families split up... loss of family values bemoaned in press...Boy Scouting held up as example of traditional values... families flock to Scouting for a safe place to learn values...

My head hurts.

[captainron14]

This attorney is a first class ambulance chaser.

He has a similar case in the Portland OR area, against the Council and the LDS church. Probably more elsewhere.

He advertises on a web page looking for "victims" of the LDS Church, BSA, etc.

Just wait, I'm sure he will be sniffing around your town or city, and I'm sure he will find someone who will remember that back in 1965 at summer camp "something" happened. And that BSA and or _______church has to pay for that! No one mentions anything about his "fee". He certainly not doing this for free.

When I hear about guys like this, I think Shakespeare was right about Lawyers. He makes me sick.

[OldGreyEagle]

The problem with lawyers is that sometimes they are a neccesary evil, like politicians, a butt of jokes until you need one and then they arent so bad after all. The question is, when did the BSA know about the abuse and what did they do about it.

 

Not saying the attorney involved isnt vermin, but evev if he is, it doesnt change the guilt or innocence of the accused

[John-in-KC]

Dudes and Dudettes,

 

I hail from what is now the Peeeeeeple's Republik! of Kalifornikate.

 

Then I went into the Army. I've been exposed to everything from Boston and Maine Nor-Easter' accents to the sweetest Texas honey drawl (from a really good looking Texas honey-blonde) and everything in-between.

 

 

[DYB-Mike]

Folks,

 

During the height of the clergy sexual abuse scandal here in Boston I remember seeing a news spot where a group of lawyers representing the abuse victims proclaimed that they were indignant over the fact that there might not be enough settlement money to go around. Nothing said about justice being served, just outrage over not enough cash.

 

I realize lawyers have to eat and victims might have lawsuit-related bills to pay, but the memory of that spot left me thinking of how hazy the line between the pursuit of justice and opportunistic greed can be.

 

YIS

Mike