17-year-old Hammond student raped classmate during shooter drill: Charges
A northwestern Indiana youth is facing rape charges for allegedly assaulting a classmate during a school active shooter drill.
Sexual Assault
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13 Nassar victims seeking $130M from FBI over bungled probe
Thirteen sexual assault victims of Larry Nassar are seeking $10 million each from the FBI, claiming a bungled investigation by agents led to more abuse by the sports doctor, lawyers said Thursday.
SCOTUS hears case over deputy who didn’t read Miranda rights
Everyone knows police aren’t supposed to question suspects without reading them their Miranda rights. But what happens when law enforcement officers don’t first read suspects their rights? The Supreme Court on Wednesday wrestled with whether a sheriff’s deputy can be sued for money damages for violating the rights of a hospital employee who was accused of sexually assaulting a patient.
St. Pierre: Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault, Harrassment Act
On March 3, President Joe Biden signed into law the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act of 2021, which amends the Federal Arbitration Act.
Father loses appeal of 12-year sentence for sexual violence against daughter
A father convicted of sexually violent acts against his adult daughter could not convince the Court of Appeals of Indiana that his 12-year executed sentence should be reduced. Rather, the appellate court found that the facts would support the imposition of a longer sentence, although it declined to do so.
Roberson: New law ends forced arbitration in sexual assault, harassment cases
On March 3, President Biden signed into law the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act of 2021, which will nullify forced arbitration clauses in sexual assault and sexual harassment cases. Following the #MeToo movement, many states have enacted legislation to limit the scope of claims covered in employment arbitration agreements, but the act is the first federal limitation.
Indiana priest gets home detention in sexual abuse cases
A former northeastern Indiana priest will serve a 180-day sentence on home detention and spend two years on probation after he pleaded guilty Thursday to sexually abusing two teenagers.
High court won’t review decision freeing Cosby from prison
The Supreme Court said Monday it will not take up the sexual assault case against comedian Bill Cosby, leaving in place a decision by Pennsylvania’s highest court to throw out his conviction and set him free from prison.
Biden ends forced arbitration for sexual assault, harassment
President Joe Biden on Thursday gave victims of workplace sexual assault or harassment the right to seek recourse in a court of law instead of through forced arbitration proceedings.
7th Circuit finds insurance co. has to defend USA Gymnastics against Nassar-related claims
A split 7th Circuit Court of Appeals panel has affirmed Liberty Insurance Underwriters Inc. must defend USA Gymnastics against the lawsuits filed by the athletes and affiliated gyms arising from Larry Nassar sexually assaulting hundreds of girls and young women over decades.
Purdue loses summary judgment in female students’ Title IX complaint
Purdue University must face a lawsuit brought by two former students alleging violations of their rights after they were disciplined following their reports of alleged incidents of assault.
Prosecutor: Child rape suspect may have victims in 10 states, including Indiana
A man arrested on child rape charges last month in Tennessee could have victims in nine other states, a prosecutor said Monday.
USA Gymnastics reaches $380M settlement with Nassar victims
The legal wrangling between Indianapolis-based USA Gymnastics and the victims of sexual abuse by former national team doctor Larry Nassar, among others, is over. The fight for substantive change within the sport’s national governing body is just beginning.
Suits against Ohio State over sex abuse by doc are dismissed
A federal judge dismissed some of the biggest unsettled lawsuits over Ohio State’s failure to stop decades-old sexual abuse by now-deceased team doctor Richard Strauss, saying Wednesday it’s indisputable Strauss abused hundreds of young men but agreeing with OSU’s argument that the legal window for such claims had passed.
Biles: FBI turned ‘blind eye’ to reports of gymnasts’ abuse
Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles told Congress in forceful testimony Wednesday that federal law enforcement and gymnastics officials turned a “blind eye” to USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar’s sexual abuse of her and hundreds of other women.
USA Gymnastics eyes $425 million settlement with survivors
Indianapolis-based USA Gymnastics could be near the final stages of the legal fallout of the Larry Nassar sexual abuse scandal.
Judge tells prison to seize Nassar’s money for victims
A judge has ordered the government to take money from the prison account of a former Michigan sports doctor who owes about $58,000 to victims of his child pornography crimes. Larry Nassar has received about $13,000 in deposits since 2018, including $2,000 in federal stimulus checks, but has paid only $300 toward court-ordered financial penalties and nothing to his victims, prosecutors said.
Cosby ruling cited as jail guard’s sex abuse case is dropped
Pennsylvania prosecutors dropped their case Friday against a jail guard accused of sexually abusing inmates, saying they were hamstrung by the recent state Supreme Court decision that freed Bill Cosby.
Watchdog: FBI Indy office mishandled Nassar-USA Gymnastics abuse case
The FBI made “fundamental” errors in investigating sexual abuse allegations against former USA Gymnastics national team doctor Larry Nassar and did not treat the case with the “utmost seriousness,” the Justice Department’s inspector general said Wednesday. More athletes said they were molested before the the FBI swung into action.
Biden backs changes in military sexual assault prosecution
President Joe Biden on Friday put his stamp of approval on a long-debated change to the military justice system that would remove decisions on prosecuting sexual assault cases from military commanders.