Boy Scouts of America reaches $850M agreement with victims
By RANDALL CHASE
Associated Press
in Irving, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)
DOVER, Del. (AP) — The Boy Scouts of America have reached an $850 million agreement with attorneys representing some 60,000 victims of child sex abuse in what could prove to be a pivotal moment in the organization’s bankruptcy case.
The agreement filed in court by BSA attorneys late Thursday would mark one of the largest sums in U.S. history involving cases of sexual abuse. The filing, known as a restructuring support agreement, includes the BSA, abuse victims, local Boy Scouts councils and lawyers appointed to represent victims who might file future claims.
“After months of intensive negotiations, the debtors have reached resolution with every single official and major creditor constituency,” BSA attorneys wrote.
The Boy Scouts of America sought bankruptcy protection in February 2020, moving to halt hundreds of lawsuits by men who were molested as youngsters decades ago by scoutmasters or other leaders. The filing was intended to try to reach a global resolution of abuse claims and create a compensation fund for victims.
But attorneys for the Irving, Texas-based BSA had previously been unable to reach agreement with victims, local Boy Scout councils and insurers on how to compensate victims while allowing the 111-year-old organization to continue operating.
Thursday's agreement signals the BSA’s acknowledgment that disagreements remain between attorneys representing abuse victims and those representing the BSA’s insurers.
In an earlier court filing Thursday, attorneys for certain insurance companies accused the BSA of allowing attorneys for abuse victims to rewrite the BSA’s restructuring plan to favor their clients.
“With only the fox guarding the henhouse, the outcome is utterly at odds with what BSA itself asserted was necessary for a confirmable plan and is permissible under the bankruptcy code,” the insurers wrote.
Attorneys for insurers appear to be concerned, among other things, that decisions regarding insurance coverage issues would be made without their input.
Meanwhile, attorneys for the Boy Scouts are also asking for U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Laurie Selber Silverstein to declare that they have no obligation to seek court approval of a previously announced settlement with The Hartford, one of the BSA’s insurers.
The Hartford agreed to pay $650 million into the victims' trust in exchange for being released from any further obligations under policies dating to 1971.
The Hartford settlement was roundly criticized by attorneys for abuse victims, who estimate the insurer’s liability exposure at several billion dollars. They made it clear that victims would not support any plan that includes the Hartford settlement.
The Boy Scouts have said that between $2.4 billion and $7.1 billion, including insurance rights, might be available for abuse victims. Attorneys for a committee that acts as a fiduciary representative of all victims in the bankruptcy case have estimated the value of some 82,500 sexual abuse claims at about $103 billion.
Matthew Sturdevant, a spokesperson for The Hartford, said the company's agreement with the Boy Scouts “is a crucial building block to move this bankruptcy case toward a conclusion.”
“We are disappointed that the Boy Scouts of America have chosen to flout the organization’s tenet of keeping promises by seeking to discard a thoughtfully negotiated and mutually agreed upon deal that appropriately values The Hartford’s obligations," Sturdevant said in an email.
In a joint statement, representatives for the victims as well as future claimants representative said the restructuring support agreement will allow the Boy Scouts to emerge from bankruptcy “while providing meaningful compensation to the victims, and holding the Boy Scouts’ insurers to the terms of the insurance policies purchased by the Boy Scouts and their affiliates over many decades.”
In a revised plan submitted barely two weeks ago, the BSA offered to issue an $80 million promissory note to a trust fund for abuse victims. It also proposed maneuvers to make up to $50 million in additional cash available for abuse survivors. The proposed changes would increase the BSA’s proposed contribution to as much as roughly $250 million, more than doubling a prior plan.
Under a new plan expected to be filed Friday, the BSA’s 250-odd local councils would contribute $600 million into the fund for abuse victims, doubling an offer from earlier this year. Under the plan, the BSA and local councils would be released from liability in return for their contributions to the victims fund.
A hearing in the case is schedule for July 20.
Governor's veto a ‘sucker punch’ to group fighting rise in child sex abuse
Kurt Erickson
Stl Today
JEFFERSON CITY — A state lawmaker and local officials are “baffled” by Gov. Mike Parson’s decision to slash $300,000 from the state budget for a program designed to fight a surge of child sex abuse in Lincoln County.
Rep. Randy Pietzman, R-Troy, said the budget is flush with cash, meaning cutting the money doesn’t make sense from a fiscal management standpoint.
He said he called the governor’s office before the official action took place last week after hearing the money might be in danger. “I begged him. I told them the budget is fat with money. We’ve got a problem here and we have a plan to address it,” Pietzman said.
Cheri Winchester, executive director of the Lincoln County Resource Board, which supported Pietzman’s effort to get the money inserted into the spending plan, said she was shocked at Parson’s action.
“I can’t make sense of it just knowing his background as a law enforcement officer, being a father and a grandfather. These are Missouri kids who are being hurt and abused,” Winchester said. “I feel like it’s a sucker punch. I’m still quite baffled. I don’t understand.”
In signing the budget last week, Parson vetoed $155 million from the $35 billion spending blueprint, including the money for a pilot program designed to help children who may be victims of sex offenders in Lincoln County, which is north of St. Charles County on the edge of the St. Louis metropolitan area.
The $300,000 would have paid for additional investigators, an additional prosecutor and support staff to address a growing number of sex offenders who live in the county.
In his veto message, Parson, a Republican who once served as a county sheriff, said the spending was not necessary. “This item was not part of my budget recommendations. Additionally, it is an earmark for the benefit of a single county,” the governor wrote.
It is not uncommon, however, for the Legislature to insert money into the budget that will benefit a specific city or county. The budget he signed, for example, includes money for literacy programs in St. Louis and St. Joseph and a Route 66 festival in Springfield.
A Parson spokeswoman did not respond to a request for comment.
Pietzman said he believes more sex offenders are coming to Lincoln County because of state laws restricting how close they can live to schools, day cares and parks. In St. Charles and St. Louis counties, denser populations mean there are fewer places for sex offenders to live.
Winchester said Lincoln County had 681 reported incidents of child abuse and neglect in 2019, a 9.3% increase from 2011.
'We've got to start somewhere'
According to the Missouri Department of Social Services, the number of substantiated cases of abuse and neglect increased to include 6.3 substantiated cases for every 1,000 children, which is the highest rate in the state.
Pietzman said his concerns about children being targeted was one of the main reasons he ran for office. “We were trying to come up with some sort of a plan. We’ve got to start somewhere,” he said.
Parson’s veto came as the state ended the fiscal year on June 30 with record revenue. The state budget office shows Missouri topped $11.2 billion in net general revenue, which is up by more than 25% over last year and nearly $2 billion over what was collected in 2019.
Individual income taxes, which comprise the largest share of Missouri’s revenue, were up more than 28% in 2021. Sales tax collections were up 6.7%.
Pietzman said he is not sure if he will press his colleagues in the Legislature to reverse the governor’s action when they reconvene in September for their annual veto session. But he said he thinks he’d be successful if he did. “I think we can override the veto,” Pietzman said.
In the meantime, Winchester said the next steps for the local effort have not been determined. But, she added, “We aren’t going to stop or delay our efforts to protect our kids.”
Like too many other politicians, Parson doesn't get the incredible amount of child sex abuse that occurs and the devastation that it brings upon its victims and their families. It's time for Parson to retire!
Iowa Man Faces Multiple Charges For Allegedly
Sexually Abusing A Child in Daycare
Tue 7-6-2021
(Estherville)-- Estherville police have charged a man in connection with an investigation into a child sex abuse case.
Following that interview, police arrested Hageman and charged him with three counts of sexual abuse in the 2nd degree, three counts of lascivious acts with a child, one count of incest and one count of child endangerment.
Police say Hageman was caring for the child at the time the alleged incident occurred.
Hageman was being held in the Emmet county jail on a $200,000 cash only bond.
People, please don't allow men to care for your children. Don't leave your children in a daycare where men are present. There are dozens of stories on this blog of men in daycares and children being victimized. It's not worth it; you can ruin your child's whole life!
State police seek child sex abuse suspect last seen in New Castle
Tyler Alan Bowen, 22, is wanted on charges connected to an incident in May 2020
WTAE
Updated: 7:31 AM EDT Jul 2, 2021
Nick Matoney
MERCER, Pa. —
State police said there is an active arrest warrant for Tyler Alan Bowen, 22, on charges including rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, unlawful contact with a minor, sexual assault, sexual abuse of children, statutory sexual assault and indecent assault.
While details about the alleged incident Bowen is charged in weren’t immediately available, online court records show it occurred in May 2020 in Mercer County.
Anyone with information about Bowen’s whereabouts should contact their local police.
Oakley, Id old man sentenced to prison for child sexual abuse
Laurie Welch
Jun 29, 2021
BURLEY — An Oakley man was sentenced Monday to five to 10 years in prison for sexually abusing a child multiple times in 2013 while he was babysitting the girl and her siblings.
Arterburn used an Alford plea on the charge of lewd conduct and the other two charges were dismissed by the prosecutor.
By using an Alford plea a defendant claims to be innocent or does not admit to all the elements of a charge, but admits prosecutors likely have enough evidence to find them guilty.
Cassia County District Judge Michael Tribe sentenced Arterburn to a minimum of five years in the Idaho State Department of Correction and five years of indeterminate time, which includes the enhancement penalty.
He was also ordered to pay a $5,000 fine for committing a crime of violence, $100 for a presentence report and $250 for his public defender. He was given credit for serving 33 days in jail.
Arterburn will also be required to register as a sex offender when he is released from prison.
No comments:
Post a Comment