ST GEORGE’S SCHOOL VICTIMS CLAIM SEX ABUSE COVER UP

By Carmen L. Durso
Durso Law
January 3, 2016

http://dursolaw.com/

A growing list of alumni say they were sexually assaulted by staff or students at St. George’s School in Newport. Because the school is in Rhode Island, which has no statute of limitations for rape, sex abusers from this elite prep school may finally be prosecuted. On Tuesday, Jan. 5th, at noon, the victims speak out at a Boston press conference. Four abuse survivors will call for an independent investigation of crimes at St. Georges. Pennsylvania arrested Bill Cosby just before the clock ran out on prosecuting him. Rhode Island can still make its cases. This and more will be addressed at 12 pm, Tuesday at 255 State Street, 6th floor, Boston.

Several victims are represented by Massachusetts attorneys Eric MacLeish and Carmen Durso, who have spoken to multiple survivors since the Boston Globe ran a front page story on December 14th about abuse at the school. They have identified 42 school victims, with more coming forward. Victims have named seven former staff members and seven ex-students as abusers. MacLeish attended St. George’s for three years. He and Durso previously represented hundreds of victims in the Boston clergy abuse cases.

Just before Christmas, St. George's issued a report on its ten month investigation of sex crimes at the school, mainly in the 1970’s and ‘80s. The school's account got national coverage, but Anne Scott, who was abused by serial molester Al Gibbs, the former athletic trainer called that 11-page report a "sanitized version of the truth."

On Tuesday, Scott and three other victims will counter the official St. George's School report with the results of their own investigation, state the case for an independent investigation, and make news with new disclosures. For instance, their rebuttal will reveal that:

• Two ex-St. George’s staff members -- an assistant chaplain and the choir director, left the school after they admitted to sexual misconduct with male students. No mandatory abuse report was made by the School. They both went on to work in schools and churches and are still in settings where they are at risk to reoffend.

• Two students were raped at the School in front of others by students using a broomstick and a lacrosse stick. Four alumni have made allegations of rape and intend to cooperate with the RI state police in its investigation. Current school administration has been aware of abuse reports from victims since 2004, but failed to contact police until Ms. Scott came forward.

• Past St. George's administrators repeatedly broke Rhode Island's law that requires schools to report credible allegations of sexual abuse of minors. Letters obtained in the new report prove it.

• St. George's current administration tried to “gag” victims from talking about Gibbs abuse in 2012 and 2015, yet the administration now wants “transparency”

• The rape of one student was so widely known on campus, it was openly referenced in the school yearbook.

• This victim, who will speak at the press conference, notified the current headmaster of the rape in 2011, but no report was filed with the state police until early November of this year.

• The school’s “independent” investigation was headed by an attorney whose law partner represented the school. This fact was not disclosed to victims asked to come forward by the current Headmaster in April of 2015 when he “encouraged” victims to talk this attorney.

St. George's is a boarding and day school, with graduates from some of America's most famous and powerful families. Tuition is $56,000 per year for boarders. There are 396 boys and girls total, from 9th through 12th grades.

Copies of the investigative report prepared on behalf of the survivors, along with relevant correspondence and photographs, will be available at the news conference.