Boy Scouts open their defense in Oregon sex abuse lawsuit that seeks $25 million
By APTuesday, March 30, 2010
Boy Scouts open defense in Oregon $25 million case
PORTLAND, Ore. — Attorneys for the Boy Scouts of America have begun their defense of a $25 million lawsuit filed by an Oregon man who was sexually abused decades ago.
The 37-year-old victim was molested in the early 1980s by assistant Scoutmaster Timur Dykes, who was convicted three times of molesting boys and provided a videotaped deposition in which he acknowledged assaulting the victim.
The trial on the lawsuit began two weeks ago. It claims Boy Scout leaders knew Dykes had been convicted but allowed him to continue Scouting activities.
The case hinges partly on an extensive file the Boy Scouts kept between 1966 to 1984 on suspected molesters among its adult volunteers.
Attorneys for the Boy Scouts say the documents protected children by helping leaders weed out sex offenders.
