The long, sad saga of the citys Explorer Scout sex abuse scandal has reached some sort of resolution: A combined $3.65 million settlement for the seven plaintiffs who said they were exploited by police officers in the program.
Boy Scouts of Americas insurer will pay $3 million of the settlement, which was reached on Friday. The rest will come from the citys self-insurance fund. An independent third party will decide how to split the funds amongst the seven victims, basing their decision on the facts and circumstances of each claim, according to the Jefferson County Attorneys Office.
The city first announced it was investigating allegations of abuse in 2016. The first lawsuit was filed in 2017.
The plaintiffs made a range of complaints against three officers involved in the program, including sexual assault. The officers, Kenneth Betts, Brandon Wood and Bradley Schuhman, have all been convicted for their role in the scandal.
In a statement about the settlement, Mayor Greg Fischer said, Since the beginning of the Explorers case, my ultimate goal has been to find the truth and get justice for the victims. Its our hope that this settlement brings some closure for those involved. We must continue our work to ensure the appalling interactions that led to this investigation never happen again.
A special investigation by former U.S. Attorney Kerry Harvey into the program determined that the misconduct was disturbing and unacceptable, but that there was no massive coverup of misconduct in the senior ranks of LMPD.
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This article appears in October 27, 2021.