Jury says Maner should get $3.7 million in sex-abuse suit

When the jury returned its verdict the Fayette County schools took a big hit - a $3.7 million hit. Hopefully there will be some legal analysis in the near future. But for now, I must conclude the evidence was convincing to the jury...and that's how it goes. The plaintiff's evidence was described in the Lexington Snitch, posted here. (.jpeg file - download to view)

Video from WKYT TV.

The Herald-Leader reports:

A jury says that Carol Lynne Maner should receive $3.7 million in her high-profile sex-abuse lawsuit against the Fayette County Board of Education.

The verdict includes $3.5 million for emotional suffering and $200,000 for lost wages.

Jurors reached their conclusion after being urged “to send a message to these folks” by Maner’s attorney Thursday morning.

“They want you to ignore the evidence,” said attorney Chris Miller, who argued that the Fayette County Board of Education ignored allegations of sex abuse of Maner by four teachers, a guidance counselor and an assistant principal at Lafayette High School and Beaumont Junior High School in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

“We can’t allow this to happen in our community,” Miller said.

Miller asked for $2.16 million in lost wages from the educational opportunities he says Maner, now 45, was denied because of the alleged abuse. He asked for $37,685 for psychiatric counseling and psychotropic medicine for the next five years.

...Walter and Hubbard are the only teachers accused by Maner to be criminally charged. They were arrested last week in Tennessee and Pennsylvania, respectively. Much of the other alleged sexual activity described by Maner happened after she turned 16, the age of consent in Kentucky.