Former Boy Scout, Mormon Youth Leader accused of molestation

[keepCAblue]

http://www.mercurynews.com/bay-area-news/ci_13801595?source=rss

Suit alleges molestation by former Sunnyvale Boy Scout, Mormon youth leader

Associated Press
Posted: 11/16/2009 02:43:16 PM PST
Updated: 11/16/2009 03:12:51 PM PST

SAN FRANCISCO — Three brothers who claim they were sexually molested by their Silicon Valley Boy Scout and Mormon youth leader in the 1970s and 1980s have sued both organizations.

The suit filed in San Francisco Superior Court alleges that church officials in Sunnyvale ignored complaints of abuse from the three as boys and failed to notify law enforcement.

The plaintiffs, identified in the suit as John Doe 1, John Doe 2 and John Doe 3, say they were molested hundreds of times by the man, who became their stepfather.

The suit identifies the former Scout and church leader as 65-year-old William E. Knox, a Georgia resident. A law firm in Canton, Ga., contacted by The Associated Press said they were no longer representing Knox. His phone number could not be located.

[virgogal]

1. Accused---not convicted.

[keepCAblue]

4. Uh, yeah "accused"...just like the subject line says.

Who said anything about him being convicted?

[Cirque du So-What]

2. Why is this in GLBT?

Aside from his predilection for young boys, the defendant was otherwise heterosexual. The gay community has been battling a perception for decades that pedophiles are predominantly homosexual, and the posting of this article in GLBT shows that we have a long way to go as a society to change that perception.

Pedophiles who molest boys are not expressing a homosexual orientation any more than pedophiles who molest girls are practicing heterosexual behaviors. While many child molesters have gender and/or age preferences, of those who seek out boys, the vast majority are not homosexual. They are pedophiles.

[GreenPartyVoter]

3. The only thing I can think of is maybe an interest in the Mormon slant, given the

role they have played in Prop 8 situations? (Trying to be generous with the benefit of the doubt, but honestly my first thought was the same as yours.)

[keepCAblue]

5. Boy Scouts ban gays. Mormons funded and drove Prop 8 in Calif.

So WHY is this in GLBT? Uh dunno...maybe to point out the HYPOCRISY of the Boy Scouts and the Mormon Church?

[chollybocker]

6. Thank you, Cirque.

:thumbsup: :)

[Raster]

7. To the Moderator that moved this from GLBT to California....

Thank you!

[keepCAblue]

8. Dear Moderator: You should also post this to the Washington and Oregon forums too.

As there are multiple suits now filed in all three states, California, Washington and Oregon.

Duh, this is not a "California" issue...it is a series of lawsuits that involves multiple states and multiple victims, much like the molestations which were covered up by the Catholic Church.

and for those GLBTs who are offended by my posting this in the GLBT forum, get over it. I, as a lesbian, feel it important to bring to light the hypocrisy of those organizations and religious entities who have made it their moral mission to discriminate against GLBTs. Yes, everyone should be interested, disgusted and concerned with the moral hypocrisy of the Mormon and Catholic Churches, as well as the Boy Scouts of America (run largely by the Mormon Church), but GLBTs should be ESPECIALLY tuned in. Know thy enemies...

[mackerel]

9. Are all these suits involving the same Boy Scout leader?

[mackerel]

10. In a similar case out of Minnesota

http://www.startribune.com/local/south/65205132.html