Seven abuse victims seek at least $50,000 each from Rochester church, Boy Scouts of America

By Byron Tollefson
Fox 47
August 02, 2019

https://bit.ly/2yCfx0E

An update on the seven lawsuits filed recently in Olmsted County related to admitted abuser Richard Hokanson:

Each of the seven victims is seeking in excess of $50,000 from the St. Pius X Catholic Church in Rochester, as well as the Gamehaven Council and The Boy Scouts of America.

Hokanson was a scout leader of a troop based at the St. Pius X Catholic Church. He was employed by each of the organizations. The plaintiffs say they were sexually abused by Hokanson between 1969 and 1981.

The defendants wrote in court documents that “there is little doubt that estimated damages could exceed $100,000 per victim.”

It may be some time before the cases are heard in court. An attorney for the plaintiffs, Mike Finnegan, confirmed the current proposed dates range between September 2020 and April 2021. Mediation is also an option. All seven cases proposed June 2020 as the deadline for mediation.

The lawsuits were originally served in 2016, but the lawsuits were not filed until June 20 of this year.

Finnegan said both sides are now waiting to hear if the seven cases will be consolidated.