NEW HAMPSHIRE
NHPR

By CASEY MCDERMOTT

The attorney general’s office made waves Thursday night in announcing its plans to launch a criminal investigation into St. Paul’s School over its handling of sexual assaults on school grounds.

While the investigation is still just in its beginning stages, some are already starting to draw parallels to a time when the state took on another powerful institution over its handling of sexual abuse: the Catholic Church.

Prominent New Hampshire Attorney Chuck Douglas is representing former St. Paul’s student Chessy Prout in a lawsuit against the school, alleging it fell short in its responsibilities to protect Prout — who was sexually assaulted by fellow student Owen Labrie as part of a so-called “senior salute” ritual.

Almost two decades ago, Douglas also helped dozens of victims of sexual abuse reach settlements with the Catholic church over abuse they experienced at the hands of local…