Search Results for: Jerry Sandusky

June 7, 2022 by Andreozzi & Foote

On June 20, 2016, Pennsylvania’s Senate took an important step forward for victims of childhood sexual abuse when it passed an amended version of HB 1947. Although HB 1947 would overhaul Pennsylvania’s child sex abuse laws, the legislation lacks the key measure that victims demanded. Unfortunately, the bill did not include a provision, which appeared in the bill’s original version, that would allow victims to pursue claims for abuse that occurred decades ago.

On the positive side, the legislation would remove the statute of limitations for criminal cases of child sexual abuse and extend the amount of time victims have to bring lawsuits against institutions in the future. Right now, criminal cases must be brought before the victim reaches age 50, and civil lawsuits against must be filed before the victim turns 30. The bill would give victims until age 50 to bring a suit against institutions, eliminate the time limit for suits against perpetrators, and completely eliminate the criminal statute of limitations.

In addition, HB 1947 would eliminate immunity for public institutions, like public schools and universities, that negligently allow sexual abuse of students. Currently, such institutions are immune from negligence lawsuits. A previous version of the bill required “gross negligence” for suits against public institutions.

HB 1947’s current version will return the Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives to be voted on in its amended form. If it passes there, it will go to the governor for signature.

Andreozzi + Foote represents sexual abuse victims in civil lawsuits. Our firm is well-known for its work on behalf of abuse victims, including representing several of Jerry Sandusky’s victims. If you or a loved one has been a victim of a crime and are interested in exploring a your legal options, please contact us at 866-311-8640 for a free consultation.

May 26, 2022 by Andreozzi & Foote

Yesterday evening, it was reported that a Bishop McDevitt teacher, Randi Lynn Zurenko, was arrested 153 counts of sexual abuse related to ongoing sexual relationships she had with two students. Zurenko has reportedly admitted to detectives that she provided the victims with alcohol and that she had inappropriate relationships with them while they were students, which included sexual activity.

If anyone at from Bishop McDevitt was aware of what was going on, or that Zurenko was a danger to students in any way, the school could be liable to the victim for damages arising from the abuse by Zurenko. At this point, it is unclear, what, if anything, Bishop McDevitt may have known.

Andreozzi + Foote has successfully represented several victims in lawsuits against private schools. Our firm represents victims of sexual crimes in civil lawsuits. Our firm is best known for its work on behalf of sexual abuse victims, including representing 11 of Jerry Sandusky’s victims. If you believe you or a loved one has been a victim of a crime and are interested in exploring a potential civil lawsuit, please contact me immediately a nate@victimscivilattorneys.com.

March 14, 2022 by Andreozzi & Foote

HB 963: Sexual Abuse Statute of Limitations Update in Pennsylvania

Determining whether your sexual abuse case in Pennsylvania is viable under the statute of limitations is a fairly complicated determination.

Presently, the statute of limitations in Pennsylvania requires sexual abuse victims bring claims before they turn 55 years old.

That means if you were sexually abused in Pennsylvania and you are seeking to pursue a civil case against a church, school, medical provider, or some other business or organization that you believe is responsible for your abuse, you must do so before you turn 55 years old.

Clergy Accused of Sexual Abuse

Accused Pennsylvania Clergy

However, determining if your case is viable is not quite that simple.

In 2019, the state of limitations for bringing a sexual abuse case in Pennsylvania was changed from age 30 to age 55, and the new change in the law was not retroactive.

In summary, that means if your case was time barred before 2019 (i.e., you turned 30 years old or older in 2019 before the new law was enacted) it is not revived by the new law extending the age to 55.

Hope should not be lost though if your case is presently time barred.

For the past several years victim advocates throughout Pennsylvania, including the childcare abuse lawyers at Andreozzi + Foote and their clients, have been pressing Pennsylvania’s legislature to eliminate the statute of limitations for sexual abuse victims. We have advocated for a two year “window,” that would temporarily suspend the statute of limitations for two years and allow all victims, regardless of their age, to seek justice against those responsible for allowing them to be abused.

We had hoped that this law could be passed through a traditional legislative process, but opponents of the window argued that it would be unconstitutional to pass a retroactive window.

Rep. Mark Rozzi, a client of Andreozzi + Foote, a clergy abuse survivor, and the long-time leader of the statute of limitations reform movement in Pennsylvania teamed up with Rep. Jim Gregory, himself a survivor, to create a new approach to legislative reform. Rozzi and Greggory introduced HB 963, a constitutional amendment, that open a two year window for survivors of sexual abuse to pursue civil cases.

Because the proposed window was now in a constitutional amendment opponents could not argue it was unconstitutional.

HB 963, the constitutional amendment creating a two year civil window received wide spread support from legislatures on both sides of the isle. It easily passed votes in both the House and Senate in the 2019-2020 legislative session. However, in order for the two year window to be enacted, it must pass another vote in 2021-2022 legislative session and also a referendum vote.

When Will The Vote On Hb 963 Take Place In Pennsylvania?

On December 15, 2020, Senate Judiciary Chairwoman Lisa Baker promised that the window “is a top priority and will be considered at the first meeting of the Senate Judiciary Committee next year.” She added “[a]arbitrary age thresholds and time limitations established years ago are no longer sufficient to deal with the horrific and widespread cases of abuse that continue to surface.” It is believed that a vote in the 2021 session could come in January or February or 2021.

The final obstacle for the two year window in Pennsylvania for sexual abuse victims would be a referendum vote. This would involve the citizens of Pennsylvania voting ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on the passage of the law.

It is believed that if the window gets to the citizens of Pennsylvania they will most certainly pass the law. It is unclear when the referendum vote would happen, but it is believed it could happen as early as Spring 2021.

If you have questions about the statute of limitations for sexual abuse cases in Pennsylvania, please call Andreozzi + Foote at 866-311-8640. In addition to supporting legislative reforms like the window, we have represented hundreds of sexual abuse survivors in Pennsylvania, including Rep. Mark Rozzi, over a dozen victims of Jerry Sandusky, and many other who were abused in churches, schools, day care, and other organizations and businesses

If you would like us to evaluate your case please call 866-311-8640 for a free consultation.

October 15, 2021 by Andreozzi & Foote

To most right-thinking people, child sexual abuse is one of the most heinous crimes and it should not matter whether it happened in Pennsylvania, New York or Alaska – perpetrators should be brought to justice.

Only then can child victims receive some measure of justice for the past wrongs committed against them – and children and their parents can sleep easier knowing that they are less likely to suffer abuse because another predator is behind bars.

Unfortunately, until the statute of limitations law changes here, Pennsylvania children remain at risk from abusers still on the loose and free to carry out more of their terrible crimes.

“too Late” To Claim For Child Sexual Abuse In Pennsylvania

In July 2021, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that an accuser’s claim was too late under the state’s statute of limitations.

The Court threw out a lawsuit from a woman who wanted to recover damages from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown for its part in harboring a priest who allegedly sexually abused her in the 1970s.

Meanwhile, just over the state lines in New York and New Jersey, the laws were changed some time ago to extend the window that victims of child sexual abuse can seek compensation for their abuse.

Almost 25 other states have taken rapid action after well-publicized cases concerning sexual abuse by the clergy in the Catholic Church, the U.S. school system, sports coaches, the Boy Scouts and other youth organizations – but Pennsylvania continues to drag its heels.

While these changes to legislation in other states have not put as many historical perpetrators behind bars as most people would have liked, it has allowed victims to tell their stories, expose their abusers, and shine a light on the extent of the problem through civil lawsuits, which have a lower burden of proof than criminal lawsuits.

It’s fair to say that until recent years, many people across the U.S. had no idea that sexual abuse in the Catholic Church was so widespread. Recent cases have been crucial in exposing the serious nature of the problem and bringing it onto the table to be addressed.

What Is “window Legislation”?

In most states until recently, the statutes of limitation were notoriously short for victims to file lawsuits against child sexual abusers. This was a particular weakness in the judicial system because the nature of child sexual abuse cases means that many victims are unable or unwilling to come forward and tell their stories until later in life.

Recognizing this, states like New York and New Jersey introduced “window legislation” that extended the statutes of limitation and helped revive claims that previously could not be filed.

CHILD USA (a national think tank working to end child abuse and neglect) and the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) joined forces in these states to create a Survivor’s Tool Kit that help educate survivors of their legal rights.

This has encouraged many thousands of victims to come forward in New York and hundreds in New Jersey, publicly exposing thousands of predators. It is hoped that this is just the beginning and, as time passes, more victims will step forward to tell their stories.

However, despite the success of these campaigns elsewhere, Pennsylvania surprisingly still digs its heels in and refuses to move. That’s very frustrating for many people here.

Why Is Pennsylvania Not Acting Now?

Many people rightly feel that because of the well-publicized scandals here, Pennsylvania should have been one of the first states to introduce the window legislation.

In recent years, we have seen allegations of cover ups of rape and child sexual abuse by Catholic Church leaders, in the school system, and with the Jerry Sandusky case at Penn State.

Introducing the new legislation would not only allow victims to seek some measure of justice, but it would enhance the safety of our children – and what could be more important than that?

Nobody is too sure what the reason is for the delay in introducing new legislation to protect our children’s safety but, unfortunately, money seems to be trumping the pursuit of justice and safety here.

The financial interests of the Catholic Church and the insurance industry, looking after their own interests ahead of those of the public, appear to have been given priority and this needs to change.

While advocate groups continue to put pressure on the state to pass window legislation, so far it has fallen on deaf ears.

The recent case thrown out by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown has brought into sharp focus the need to continue fighting for change and the safety of our children in Pennsylvania.

In addition to the warning signs of abuse that a child may display, we should also be on the lookout for certain types of unsettling behavior in adults holding positions of responsibility with children.

Again, many of the warning signs taken in isolation may be normal. If there is a range of factors present to make a parent or other caregiver feel uneasy about a person, it warrants further investigation.

Remember, over 90 percent of child sexual assault victims know the perpetrator and therefore are generally in positions of trust with the child.

Be wary of someone who

Regularly crosses personal “boundaries” with your child
Won’t take “no” for an answer
Engages in touching children (even playful tickling or massage may be grooming behavior)
Carries on unwanted behavior even after being asked to stop
Forms a friendship that is not appropriate to the role they fill in the child’s life
Finds opportunities to be alone with children
Becomes a key “provider” in your child’s life – rides, overnight stays, etc.
Gives a child gifts and excessive attention
Comments on a child’s sexual development inappropriately

Parents and primary caregivers need to act on their instincts with their children. If someone is acting in a way around your child that makes you uncomfortable, investigate it. Watch for the warning signs of abuse, talk to your child and report any concerns to the relevant authorities if necessary.

If you need to contact the lawyers at Andreozzi & Foote, PC with information on a case involving child sexual abuse, all the information provided will be treated confidentially, including your identity. Start with a free and confidential consultation.

December 28, 2023 by Jennifer@vca.law

Annual policy reviews and ongoing training in organizations that serve children can help prevent abuse. Children are the most vulnerable members of our society, relying on adults and institutions to protect, nurture, and guide them. Our law firm has bore witness to far too many cases of child abuse due to a lack of adequate policies or compliance with them. Organizations providing services to children, whether in educational, recreational, or care settings, are responsible for creating environments prioritizing safety and well-being. It is critically essential for annual policy reviews and ongoing staff training for organizations working with children.

Evolving Threats and Challenges

The world constantly evolves, with new challenges and threats emerging regularly. In child safety, this dynamic environment necessitates a proactive approach from organizations. Policies that were effective and comprehensive last year may need to be revised annually due to changing societal norms, technological advancements, and evolving risks. By revisiting policies annually, organizations can remain adaptive and responsive to the ever-shifting child protection landscape.

Legal and Regulatory Compliance

Laws and regulations about child protection are subject to updates and revisions. Thus reflecting a growing understanding of risks and best practices. Organizations that work with children must adhere to current legal requirements and anticipate and prepare for future changes. Regular policy reviews allow organizations to identify and address gaps or shortcomings in their practices, ensuring compliance with the latest legal standards. Staying ahead of regulatory developments demonstrates a commitment to ethical conduct and sets a high standard for the industry.

Establishing a Culture of Vigilance

Annual policy reviews are influential in establishing an organization’s vigilance culture. When employees know that policies are subject to regular scrutiny and adjustment, they are more likely to remain attentive and proactive in their commitment to child safety. This culture of vigilance extends beyond the policies themselves; it becomes embedded in the organization’s ethos, fostering an environment where everyone is collectively responsible for the well-being of the children under their care.

Technological Advancements and Digital Risks

The rapid evolution of technology introduces new dimensions of risk, especially concerning the safety of children. Social media, online communication platforms, and digital devices have become integral parts of children’s lives but pose potential threats. Organizations must stay abreast of technological advancements and understand how they impact child safety. Ongoing training ensures that staff members are equipped with the knowledge and skills to navigate the digital landscape responsibly, protecting children from online risks.

Recognition and Response to Signs of Abuse

Recognizing the signs of abuse is a crucial skill for anyone working with children. Annual training refreshes and enhances staff members’ ability to identify potential indicators of abuse, empowering them to take swift and appropriate action. Regular training sessions can include simulated scenarios, case studies, and discussions to reinforce the importance of vigilance and provide practical tools for responding effectively to signs of distress.

Fostering a Continuous Learning Culture

In addition to legal and technological considerations, child development and psychology dynamics are continually advancing. Ongoing training informs staff members about the latest research and best practices in child care, education, and counseling. This commitment to continuous learning enhances the quality of services and demonstrates an organization’s dedication to staying at the forefront of its field.

Providing training with staff using real cases from the past year can help employees learn from the mistakes of others. Therefore, it gives them tangible problem-solving issues to see where others made mistakes.

Building Trust with Stakeholders

Parents, guardians, and the broader community entrust organizations with the well-being of their children. Regularly reviewing policies and providing ongoing training conveys that an organization takes its responsibilities seriously. This commitment to continuous improvement builds trust with stakeholders, reinforcing the organization’s reputation as a safe and reliable haven for children.

In a constantly changing world, organizations providing services to children must be proactive in their approach to child protection. Annual policy reviews and ongoing staff training are not just administrative requirements; they are critical components of a comprehensive strategy to safeguard the well-being of the most vulnerable members of our society. By embracing a culture of vigilance, staying current with legal and technological developments, and fostering continuous learning, organizations can create environments where children can thrive, free from harm and full of promise for a brighter tomorrow.

If your organization needs assistance with training and a comprehensive understanding of the law, our firm can help. We are at the forefront of the most high-profile cases in the country, advocating significant legal and policy improvements.

Call us today.

Pennsylvania Senate Passes Law to Reform Overhaul Pennsylvania Child Sex Abuse Laws