US

OR Court Orders Release of Boy Scouts‘ ’Perversion Files’ Detailing Suspected Child Molesters

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The Oregon Supreme Court on Thursday approved the release of 20,000 pages of so-called perversion files compiled by the Boy Scouts of America on suspected child molesters within the organization for more than 20 years, giving the public its first chance to review the records.

The files, gathered from 1965 to 1985, came to light when they were used as evidence in a landmark Oregon lawsuit in 2010. A jury awarded a record $18.5 million to a man who was molested by an assistant scoutmaster in the early 1980s, ruling that the Scouts failed to protect him.

Oregon Supreme Court Orders Boy Scouts Release Perversion Files

In this Sept. 13, 2011, file photo, show the Boy Scouts of America Cascade Pacific Council sign, in Portland, Ore. The Oregon Supreme Court has approved the release of 20,000 pages of so-called perversion files compiled by the Boy Scouts of America on suspected child molesters within the organization for more than 20 years, giving the public its first chance to review the records. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)

The case drew attention to the organization’s efforts to keep child molesters out of its leadership ranks. The files contain accusations against Scout leaders ranging from child abuse to lesser offenses that would prohibit them from working in the Scouts.

The organization, headquartered in Irving, Texas, say the files have succeeded in keeping molesters out of the Scouts. The group fought to keep the files sealed in the Oregon case, but a judge ruled that since they became public record when they were used at trial, prompting the organization to appeal to the Oregon Supreme Court.

The Scouts argued opening the files could affect those who were suspected but never convicted of abuse. The organization also said that if the information were to go public, it could prejudice potential jurors in future trials.

Oregon Supreme Court Orders Boy Scouts Release Perversion FilesMedia organizations, including The Associated Press, The Oregonian, The New York Times, Oregon Public Broadcasting, KGW-TV, and Courthouse News Service had challenged the Scouts’ effort to keep the files under seal.

After the ruling Thursday, the organization said in a statement that the “Scouts are safer because those files exist.”

“While we respect the court, we are still concerned that the release of two decades’ worth of confidential files into public view, even with the redactions indicated, may still negatively impact victims’ privacy and have a chilling effect on the reporting of abuse,” the Scouts said.

The 20,000 pages – representing files on 1,200 people – are part of a larger trove of confidential documents the Boy Scouts began compiling decades ago. The New York Times reported the Scouts had 2,910 “cards” on men who were unfit to supervise boys by 1935.

Scout executives had no written guidelines on the subject until 1972, when a memo urged them to keep such files confidential “because of misunderstandings which could develop if it were widely distributed.”

A Multnomah County judge earlier ruled that the names of alleged victims and the people who made the accusations should be kept private. The Oregon Supreme Court agreed, saying that such redactions would “prevent undue injury and embarrassment to innocent persons that likely would result from public disclosure of the names in the exhibits.”

It was unclear when the files would be made public, since the names will need to be redacted by hand by attorneys from either side and sent for approval. A timeline for those meetings and the redactions has yet to be set. Attorneys in about 30 other cases nationwide also were seeking the contents of the files.

History of the Boy Scouts of America

Paul Mones, one of the attorneys for the plaintiffs in the underlying case, said the files reveal “poignant and disturbing” details.

“These files were integral to the jury finding that the BSA failed to use its vast knowledge of sexual predators to protect its Scouts,” Mones said. “Though the BSA has improved its youth protection policies in recent years, the tragic legacy of the abuse of untold numbers of boys remains.”

The state Supreme Court was cautious in limiting the scope of its opinion, noting that allowing the media and public to review trial exhibits may not be the correct decision in every case.

An attorney for the media companies, Charles Hinkle, said he was disappointed that the court’s ruling “does not guarantee that the public has a right to see the evidence that a jury sees when it decides a case.”

Hinkle said that could discourage live testimony in favor of written or video testimony, reducing the public’s opportunity to know the facts on which a decision is based.

The Scouts have faced numerous lawsuits by men who say they were molested as children by Scout leaders, including the case that resulted in the landmark ruling. In that lawsuit, an Oregon jury awarded $18.5 million – the largest payment awarded in a sex abuse case involving the Scouts – to Kerry Lewis, the victim of sex abuse by a former assistant scoutmaster in Portland.

The jury decided the Boy Scouts were negligent for allowing former assistant scoutmaster Timur Dykes to associate with Scouts, including Lewis, after Dykes admitted to a Scouts official in 1983 that he had molested 17 boys, according to court records. Lewis’ attorneys argued that the Scouts should have opened the perversion files decades ago.

During that case, the state Supreme Court allowed the jury to look at about 1,000 of the files.

Comments (43)

  • jocko
    Posted on June 14, 2012 at 10:37pm

    For 100 years or more, psychologists claimed homosexuality was a mental disease… then they all got together and suddenly, it was no longer a disease.
    For 100 years or more, psychologists claimed pedophilia was a mental disease… now they are all getting together to discuss the normalcy of pedophilia.
    Won’t Nancy Pelosi and her friends in NAMBLA (National Man-Boy Love Association) just love that outcome?
    Obama and the progressive demorats have already sanctioned bestiality – when they authorized homosexuality and bestiality in the military.
    What next? Oh yes, we already are sacrificing our babies to the ‘gods’ of convenience and gender preference – about 50 MILLION so far since Roe v. Wade. That’s more than the population of several countries.

    Is there any wonder America is so miserable now? What goes around, comes around.

    Report Post » jocko  
    • lukerw
      Posted on June 15, 2012 at 7:59am

      There is a Standard Deviation of Nature… whereby about 7% of ANY Group will be Different… as seemingly a protection against All making the same Error and Ending the Species. So, you are always going to have to Suffer the 7% Factor… and it will never go away… no matter what you do!

      Report Post » lukerw  
    • turkey13
      Posted on June 15, 2012 at 2:56pm

      If the OSC can do this then my state has to tear up the list of child molestors that live in our state (Oklahoma). I read in the paper they arrested a guy in my town that moved to close to a school and they got another one that forgot to notify the police he had moved here. I assume that since Obama said it’s allright for Q_ueers and L_izzies to do their thing all these list will have to be destroyed and they are starting with the Boy Scouts. They need to check the Girl Scouts also.

      Report Post »  
  • dontbotherme
    Posted on June 14, 2012 at 10:20pm

    If these files are released I worry about the privacy of the victims & those who may be innocent. Once the info is out there, it will never be erased.

    Report Post »  
  • CoyoteDKM
    Posted on June 14, 2012 at 10:06pm

    You know this lawsuit is really a disguised attack on the scouts for not allowing gays. It is ironic that the attack on the scouts is disguised in the way it is. Typical of that side.

    Report Post »  
  • JCofPA
    Posted on June 14, 2012 at 9:28pm

    Since they already have Megan’s Law, why do they need this? And let me get this right; are most of you saying it is ok to publish a list of the suspected? So you are ruling out trial by jury and just accepting vigilante justice? And a question for Christians, Are the guilty worthy of salvation? If so how do you accept them into your church? I am tired of the glamorizing the sensational stories that our societal ills generates, while there is very little attention paid to restoring morals to a corrupt generation, that would cleanse a great deal of this evil from our communities. We would rather get the juicy details and go on witch hunts.

    Report Post » JCofPA  
  • G.E.R
    Posted on June 14, 2012 at 7:41pm

    The boy scouts should be teaching the catholic church about file keeping

    Report Post »  
  • Dano.50
    Posted on June 14, 2012 at 7:38pm

    We could also look into teachers.

    In the field of education a 1986 the American Medical Association reported 1 on 4 girls and 1 in 8 boys had been abused in or out of school by 18.

    In 1994 Hofstra University prof Charol Shakeshaft did a study of 225 cases of educator sexual abusers in New York City and found that, even though every one of the accused ADMITTED to abusing a student, not one of the abusers was reported to authorities and only one percent lost their licence to teach.

    According to a Human Events contributer, the total number of Catholic priests in the entire history of them being accused of abuse, (This includes those cleared of all charges too.) totals around fifteen hundred, while nation wide while over twenty thousand teachers per year are brought up on abuse charges.

    I only went to a small rural school with less than a two hundred students from Grade 1 to Grade 12, and one of the female teachers was having sex with one of the senior boys.

    Yet I never actually have run into a priest who’s done that.

    Report Post »  
    • destrecht
      Posted on June 14, 2012 at 7:52pm

      That’s an ignorant statement. They have very similar measures to protect children these days. I’ve been through both.

      Report Post »  
    • Walkabout
      Posted on June 14, 2012 at 8:10pm

      Dano.50 / destrecht

      Ignorant? Perhaps I would like to see links for the data.

      Report Post »  
  • Max jones
    Posted on June 14, 2012 at 7:19pm

    Let’s see….How does the LGTB crowd look at this issue? Pro release or against? What is the proper stand in view of the ‘agenda’? If the deviant viewpoint is that it is all O.K., then why do we need a court to tell us what to do? We’ve got deviant sex taught in gradeschools now, and naked males walking around downtown in a major city. And homosexual celebrities touting the joys of unnatural acts on primetime TV. Any doubt that we are in for a major correction?

    Report Post » Max jones  
    • Walkabout
      Posted on June 14, 2012 at 8:13pm

      If they release the files what might we find pout about lifestyle choices? Like where they lived or what they died of.

      Report Post »  
  • nobama2012yeswecan
    Posted on June 14, 2012 at 6:57pm

    commies love hit lists even if it isn‘t their’s…remember liberals, you fight for the rights of molesters and murderers..this gives you the upper hand when controlling their lives..Americans will always weed out the bad seeds in our society while liberals keep planting the seeds all over America!…Liberals don’t kill people but the Communist Marxists they vote into office will…bullet kills man,must take all guns..Abortionists kill babies,must build more clinics..this is why you lose commie bastards…

    Report Post » nobama2012yeswecan  
  • SpankDaMonkey
    Posted on June 14, 2012 at 6:38pm

    .
    Gives a whole new meaning to “Let me show you how to Pitch a Tent”…..

    Report Post » SpankDaMonkey  
  • Truthmonster
    Posted on June 14, 2012 at 6:31pm

    We should investigate lesbians in the girl scouts. ****’s like em young!

    Report Post » Truthmonster  
    • jocko
      Posted on June 14, 2012 at 10:27pm

      It’s official, lesbians are now allowed in the girl scouts. Today’s Girl Scouts are nothing like your Mommy was in and have lowered their adult and moral standards way below the Boy Scouts. The Girl Scouts are now partnering with Planned Parenthood.

      If you want a safe, moral organization for your daughter try the American Heritage Girls http://ahgonline.org/. This organization is much closer, if not higher, than the Boy Scout standards and definitely higher than the Girl Scouts of today.

      Report Post » jocko  
  • Truthmonster
    Posted on June 14, 2012 at 6:29pm

    Spay and nueter all homosexuals!

    Report Post » Truthmonster  
  • Truthmonster
    Posted on June 14, 2012 at 6:28pm

    Your correct homosexuals are sick perverts!

    Report Post » Truthmonster  
  • Truthmonster
    Posted on June 14, 2012 at 6:26pm

    Well now the fearless leader has supported abhorent sexual behavior it’s just a matter of time before the left supports pediphile marriages! Polictical Correctness is a cancer on Democracy.

    Report Post » Truthmonster  
  • TROLLMONGER
    Posted on June 14, 2012 at 6:22pm

    No doubt all right wing religious perverts. Typical.

    Report Post » TROLLMONGER  
    • Truthmonster
      Posted on June 14, 2012 at 6:27pm

      No doubt pediphiles are left wing perverts

      Report Post » Truthmonster  
    • dennisS
      Posted on June 15, 2012 at 8:33am

      @trollmonger, Your mom told you to go upstairs and clean your room and make your bed before you are allowed on the computer! So go now and obey mommy!

      Report Post »  
  • The-Monk
    Posted on June 14, 2012 at 6:20pm

    Get MANBLA out of the Boy Scouts and the Boy Scouts out of MANBLA.

    This is just sick.

    Report Post » The-Monk  
    • Jaycen
      Posted on June 15, 2012 at 1:59am

      Seriously? NAMBLA has nothing to do with the BSA and for you to suggest it does makes you a raging douche. You and NAMBLA should both stay the hell away from any scout.

      Report Post » Jaycen  
    • The-Monk
      Posted on June 15, 2012 at 10:15am

      @Jaycen

      I guess you didn’t read the article and put 2 and 2 together. I loved the Cub Scouts and Webelos but when I got to Boy Scouts and went on my first camping trip, I found out what was going on; I hid in the woods and walked home in the morning, 50 MILES, and never went back. Nothing but perverts!

      Report Post » The-Monk  
  • thibx
    Posted on June 14, 2012 at 6:15pm

    it is time to get these judges off the bench.

    Report Post »  
  • Baddoggy
    Posted on June 14, 2012 at 6:06pm

    The TSAs dirty little secret…

    http://www.wbtv.com/story/18781511/congresswoman-reports-tsa-hires-criminals

    Report Post » Baddoggy  
  • TEARS FOR AMERICA
    Posted on June 14, 2012 at 6:02pm

    I am sorry but if you abuse children you should be castrated. Simple deterrent, wouldn’t you say?

    Report Post » TEARS FOR AMERICA  
  • Lloyd Drako
    Posted on June 14, 2012 at 6:01pm

    First Penn State, now the Boy Scouts! What’s next, the Catholic Church?

    Report Post » Lloyd Drako  
  • BoyScout_Mom
    Posted on June 14, 2012 at 5:58pm

    Heartbreaking. Sunlight is the best disinfectant.

    Report Post » BoyScout_Mom  
  • RepubliCorp
    Posted on June 14, 2012 at 5:55pm

    Never trust an adult male that likes kids a little too much……..

    Report Post » RepubliCorp  
    • Dde13
      Posted on June 14, 2012 at 6:12pm

      Before knocking Home School you may want to get the facts straight. Home School scores much higher than Public Schools…

      Report Post »  
  • bikerr
    Posted on June 14, 2012 at 5:46pm

    The files released,should hold back NO DOUBT who the criminals are. It‘s the one’s in the file who aren’t criminals that should be worried.

    Report Post »  
  • svan71
    Posted on June 14, 2012 at 5:42pm

    But are the molesters homosexual petifiles or heterosexual ? Just like the homosexual petifile priests..

    Report Post » svan71  
    • SimpleTruths
      Posted on June 14, 2012 at 5:48pm

      Home schooled much? Geeze buy a dictionary or turn on spell check.

      Report Post » SimpleTruths  
    • bikerr
      Posted on June 14, 2012 at 5:49pm

      If your the boy scout do you really care?.When the“act” is done ,I’m sure that was on their minds!.

      Report Post »  
    • bikerr
      Posted on June 14, 2012 at 6:00pm

      @SimpleTruths—Leave Home schools out of it. If your upset with home schools,go to their homes and tell them . You won’t so You are a chicken.

      Report Post »  
    • svan71
      Posted on June 14, 2012 at 7:11pm

      Here you go ……pedophile … and thanks i appreciate correction.

      Report Post » svan71  
    • bikerr
      Posted on June 14, 2012 at 7:57pm

      @svan71—haven’t talked to a little person since well….You.You are wrong again.

      Report Post »  
    • Walkabout
      Posted on June 14, 2012 at 8:14pm

      svan71
      Actually, both.

      Report Post »  

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