Connecticut top court overturns $12 million verdict against U.S. Boy Scouts

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

U.S. | Mon Oct 3, 2016 | 3:11pm EDT

Connecticut top court overturns $12 million verdict against U.S. Boy Scouts

Connecticut's Supreme Court on Monday overturned a lower court's 2014 decision to award $12 million to a former Boy Scout who alleged he was sexually assaulted by an older scout in the 1970s and ordered a new trial.

The court agreed with the Boy Scouts of America's contention that the jury should have been informed that it could be held liable only if the defendant, who was not named in the 2012 lawsuit, could prove that the organization's conduct had increased the odds that abuse would take place.

The plaintiff, who was 11 at the time of the alleged abuse, said in his 2012 lawsuit that he was sexually assaulted multiple times by his patrol leader, a scout who had been raised into a position of authority.

He contended that the Boy Scouts of America had increased the risk of this happening by encouraging scouts to go on camping trips and other activities that involved little or no adult supervision.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-connecticut-boy-scouts-idUSKCN12323O

[lindysalsagal]

1. Really really tough call.

Back then people didn't believe this stuff went on. No one would believe a victim. It was so long ago and all of the u.s. scouts went on these overnights. Hard to prove the entire u.s. is culpable.