Free Republic

Six men who alleged they were sexually abused by an Oregon Boy Scouts leader in the 1980s have settled their lawsuits against the group's national organization for undisclosed amounts, the plaintiffs' attorney said Wednesday. The settlements include the case of one man, Kerry Lewis, who was awarded nearly $20 million in damages from Boys Scouts of America in a trial that ended in April. It was believed to be the largest such award against the national organization. A jury found the Texas-based group negligent for allowing a former assistant scoutmaster, Timur Dykes, to associate with Scouts after he admitted to...

PORTLAND, Oregon (Reuters) - A lawsuit filed against the Mormon Church and the Boy Scouts of America expanded on Wednesday to include four more men charging the organizations with ignoring sex abuses committed decades ago by a man who served as a church teacher and a scout leader. The six men, who filed a new lawsuit in Oregon state Circuit Court in Multnomah County, allege that Timur Dykes, a former spiritual leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and former scout leader, repeatedly abused them when they were boys. Dykes, a convicted sex offender, is listed on...

In the small New England town of Plainville, Mass., 71-year-old Ronald Fredrickson is considered a near saint. He has been a Boy Scout troop leader for more than 40 years, a town road laborer who worked his way up to highway superintendent during his 37 years in the department and a three-term selectman in the local government. He's a member of the Conservation Commission, the local historical society and recipient of the Plainville Community Service Award in 2003 - as well as a recipient of honors from the Scouts, Rotary and Lions. Fredrickson seemed the epitome of a person who...

An assistant Boy Scout leader from Cherry Hill, N.J., is accused of having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old boy. Jason Rosner, 23, was charged Sunday with aggravated sexual assault and child endangerment. He is a self-employed landscaper who is also a Cherry Hill, N.J., volunteer firefighter, police said. The complaint alleges that Rosner engaged the boy in sex acts on multiple occasions in September and October 2003 at the defendant's home, the victim's home and a Cherry Hill hotel. The charges carry a maximum prison term of 35 years if Rosner is convicted. Rosner was being held in lieu...