Tag:

Child Victim's Act

Union
Police & Fire
'Horror House:' $6.75M Pre-Trial Settlement Reached For NJ Woman Sexually Abused In Foster Care 'Horror House:' $6.75M Pre-Trial Settlement Reached For NJ Woman Sexually Abused In Foster Care
'Horror House:' $6.75M Pre-Trial Settlement Reached For NJ Woman Sexually Abused In Foster Care They called it a horror house. The Salmon household, that is. The foster home where a woman named only as J.T. was sexually abused by a man named Joseph Salmon during a five-week stay in 1972. And now, the State of New Jersey has agreed to pay J.T. $6.75 million in a settlement expected to be reached, with a $25 million trial verdict for a similar case was obtained last month. "The Salmon home was a horror house of abuse," said Vincent Nappo of the law firm Pfau Cochran Vertetis Amala PLLC, who represented J.T. alongside Matthew Bonanno, of Rebenack Aronow Mascolo LLP in New…

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by Cecilia Levine
Suffolk NY
News
Long Island Catholic Diocese Sells Headquarters for $5.2M After Filing Bankruptcy Long Island Catholic Diocese Sells Headquarters for $5.2M After Filing Bankruptcy
Long Island Catholic Diocese Sells Headquarters for $5.2M After Filing Bankruptcy The Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre on Long Island has sold its headquarters for $5.2 million in an effort to compensate its creditors. The property in Rockville Centre, at 50 North Park Ave., was purchased by Synergy Holding Partners, which includes a five-story office building and a parking lot, said Sean P. Dolan, director of communications for the Diocese.  As part of the agreement, the diocese will continue to occupy the building until August 31, while it completes its transition to new facilities.  The diocese, home to 1.4 million Catholics on Long Isla…

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by Kathy Reakes
Nassau
News
COVID-19: Child Victims Act Extended Through January COVID-19: Child Victims Act Extended Through January
Covid-19: Child Victims Act Extended Through January New York is extending the window for abuse victims to file claims under the Child Victims Act due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. During his daily COVID-19 briefing on Friday, May 8 in the Murray Student Center at Marist College, Cuomo announced the state is extending the window to file abuse claims by five months due to the virus. Anyone looking to file a claim under the Child Victims Act will now have through Jan. 14 to do so. Cuomo said that “the COVID pandemic has limited survivors’ ability to file claims and effectively arguing their case, delaying their long-overdue jus…

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by Zak Failla
Mount Pleasant
News
Former Coach From Northern Westchester Accused Of Molesting Student At School Former Coach From Northern Westchester Accused Of Molesting Student At School
Former Coach From Northern Westchester Accused Of Molesting Student At School A former children’s sports coach in Westchester has become the latest accused of sexually abusing a minor decades ago as part of a Child Victims Act case that was filed earlier this month. Edwin Gaynor, of Ossining, is accused of fondling a minor during a gym class in the 1960s when he worked at Immaculate Heart of Mary School in Scarsdale, according to a lawsuit filed in Westchester County civil court. It is alleged that the Archdiocese of New York knew of the abuse and rather than handle the situation, they instead continued to move Gaynor to different schools, none of which have been nam…

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by Zak Failla
North Rockland
News
Details Emerge After Retired Area Judge Accused Of Sex Abuse Details Emerge After Retired Area Judge Accused Of Sex Abuse
Details Emerge After Retired Area Judge Accused Of Sex Abuse A retired Orange County Court judge has been accused of sexually abusing a former student decades ago. Judge Jeffrey Berry was accused of assaulting a teenage girl between 1970 and 1972 when he was a teacher and she was a student at Cornwall High School in New Windsor. The lawsuit filed in Orange County Supreme Court alleges that Berry met a student in the fall of 1970 when she was 16 and a sophomore at the school. The lawsuit states that his alleged victim suffered emotional and psychological distress that have persisted to this day. The complaint states that Berry was “grooming” the girl…

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by Zak Failla
Briarcliff
News
Retired Hudson Valley Judge Accused Of Sexually Abusing Teen Retired Hudson Valley Judge Accused Of Sexually Abusing Teen
Retired Hudson Valley Judge Accused Of Sexually Abusing Teen Click here for an updated story: Details Emerge After Retired Area Judge Accused Of Sex Abuse A retired judge in the Hudson Valley has been named in a new lawsuit under the Child Victims Act that he sexually abused a teen during the 1970s. The suit, filed last month in Orange County Court by a Pennsylvania woman, alleges that Judge Jeffery Berry, who retired in 2015, sexually assaulted her while she was a student at Cornwall Central High School, according to multiple reports. The suit, obtained by News 12, says the judge began grooming the victim when she was 16-years-old while he…

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by Kathy Reakes
DV Plus - Westchester
Politics
VIDEO: Democratic Field Widens For Westchester Rep. Nita Lowey's Vacated Congressional Seat VIDEO: Democratic Field Widens For Westchester Rep. Nita Lowey's Vacated Congressional Seat
Video: Democratic Field Widens For Westchester Rep. Nita Lowey's Vacated Congressional Seat The list of Democrats seeking U.S. Rep. Nita Lowey's congressional seat continues to grow. State Sen. David Carlucci announced his interest in running on Monday, Oct. 21. Carlucci represents part of Westchester and Rockland counties that comprise the 38th Senate District. His announcement can be watched by clicking here or on the photo above.  Carlucci,, 38, became the third Democrat to announce his candidacy for the 17th Congressional District this week, a seat that will open up after next year's retirement of Lowey after 31 years in Congress. In Monday's speech about his decision to…

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by Jon Craig
Rivertowns
News
Ex-Area Teacher Accused Of Sexually Abusing Student Found Dead Ex-Area Teacher Accused Of Sexually Abusing Student Found Dead
Ex-Area Teacher Accused Of Sexually Abusing Student Found Dead A Hudson Valley teacher who was recently accused of the alleged sexual abuse of an elementary student years ago was found dead at his Orange County home. Shawn Memmelaar, a retired Newburgh physical education teacher, was found dead Sunday, Oct. 13, of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Town of Goshen Police said. Memmelaar, who was a gym teacher at the now-closed Union Grove Elementary School in Newburgh, had denied the allegations after a recently filed lawsuit claimed he abused student Sandra Burke, 55, from 1969 through 1975. Burke's attorney, Evan Foulke, told News 12, that Memmelaar wou…

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by Kathy Reakes
South Orange
News
Former Pastor In Area Accused Of Child Sex Abuse Former Pastor In Area Accused Of Child Sex Abuse
Former Pastor In Area Accused Of Child Sex Abuse A longtime area Catholic priest has been placed on administrative leave following an allegation of child abuse from years ago. Monsignor Edward Weber, the director of Priest Personnel Office in the archdiocese, is one of four priests in the Archdiocese of New York to be placed on leave following new allegations, said an article in the Catholic New York, the archdiocese's newspaper. The three other priests include Msgr. Edward Barry of Holy Rosary parish in Hawthorne, Father William Luciano of Blessed Sacrament parish in New Rochelle, and Msgr. James White of St. Vito-Most Holy Tri…

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by Kathy Reakes
DV Plus - Westchester
Politics
Civil Lawsuits Filed Locally Under New 'Child Victims Act' Civil Lawsuits Filed Locally Under New 'Child Victims Act'
Civil Lawsuits Filed Locally Under New 'Child Victims Act' During the first month of the Child Victims Act, a total of 13 claims of alleged abuse have been filed in Westchester County Supreme Court. Statewide, the number of new civil cases is 639 through Monday, Sept. 9, according to Lucian Chalfen, a spokesman for the state Unified Court System. On Aug. 14, New York state opened up a one-year, one-time-only period where victims can file claims against their abusers and the institutions that harbored them, regardless of how long ago the abuse took place. Victims can seek monetary compensation, but not criminal charges. A total of 152 claims h…

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by Jon Craig
Nassau
News
Eight From Long Island Among Boy Scout Leaders Accused Of Sex Abuse Eight From Long Island Among Boy Scout Leaders Accused Of Sex Abuse
Eight From Long Island Among Boy Scout Leaders Accused Of Sex Abuse Eight Boy Scout troop leaders on Long Island were among nearly 200 throughout New York and New Jersey accused of sexually abusing children in the Boy Scout of America’s “perversion files.” Lawyers for the organization released a list of suspects who allegedly abused children as part of a “widespread pattern of abuse.” The names of some of the accused were released on Tuesday, and attorneys representing the victims have demanded that the Boy Scouts of America release the background information, identities and files on all perpetrators who have been accused of sexual misconduct involving mi…

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by Zak Failla
White Plains
Politics
Cuomo Says He'll Push To Legalize Marijuana For Recreational Use Cuomo Says He'll Push To Legalize Marijuana For Recreational Use
Cuomo Says He'll Push To Legalize Marijuana For Recreational Use New York is going to get a little greener if Gov. Andrew Cuomo has his wish. Cuomo announced that legalizing the adult use of marijuana is near the top of his legislative priorities in 2019during a speech in Manhattan Monday, previewing his January annual State of the State address.  He also vowed to pass the Child Victim’s Act, strengthen gun laws and re-evaluating the current cash bail system in jails and prisons. Currently, New York only allows the use of medical marijuana companies, with several dispensaries operating in the Hudson Valley. Earlier this year, Cuomo put together a g…

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by Zak Failla
White Plains
Politics
Pivotal Murphy, Harckham State Senate Battle Gets Heated Pivotal Murphy, Harckham State Senate Battle Gets Heated
Pivotal Murphy, Harckham State Senate Battle Gets Heated The 40th Senate District, which includes parts of Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess counties is considered one of eight "battleground" elections that could tip the balance of political power in Albany. On Tuesday, Nov. 6 voters can choose between incumbent Republican Sen. Terrence Murphy and Democrat Peter Harckham. Murphy of Yorktown was elected to the state Senate in 2014, and is completing his second two-year term.  Harckham of South Salem, a former Westchester County legislator, defeated Robert Kesten in the Sept. 13 Democratic Party primary election. Kesten said he supports Harckh…

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by Jon Craig
Armonk
News
Attorney General Issues Subpoenas, Offers Clergy Abuse Hotline Investigating Alleged Sex Crimes Attorney General Issues Subpoenas, Offers Clergy Abuse Hotline Investigating Alleged Sex Crimes
Attorney General Issues Subpoenas, Offers Clergy Abuse Hotline Investigating Alleged Sex Crimes This story has been updated. A "clergy abuse" telephone hotline has been set up by the state Attorney General's Office, as well as an online complaint form as subpoenas are being issued to all eight Roman Catholic Dioceses in New York. On Thursday, Sept. 6, Attorney General Barbara D. Underwood announced the new methods in which victims and anyone with information can provide tips. It's part of the Attorney General’s ongoing investigation into sexual abuse of children within the New York dioceses of the Catholic Church. The Attorney General's Charities Bureau, which oversees nonp…

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by Jon Craig
White Plains
Politics
Actress Julianne Moore Calls Out NY Senators For Blocking Child Victims Act Actress Julianne Moore Calls Out NY Senators For Blocking Child Victims Act
Actress Julianne Moore Calls Out NY Senators For Blocking Child Victims Act Oscar-winning actress Julianne Moore has blasted nine New York state senators -- including four from the Hudson Valley -- for blocking the Child Victims Act.  The actress took to Twitter to urge her followers to directly call the elected officials and tell them to stop protecting predators and pass the Child Victims Act:  Among those singled out by Moore are: Sen. Sue Serino of Hyde Park who represents parts of Dutchess and Putnam counties, Sen. William Larkin Jr. who represents parts of Rockland and Orange counties, Sen. John Bonacic who represents part of Orange County, Sen. Terrence Murp…

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by Jon Craig