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A26 U.S. NEWS
Monday 1 June 2020
Boy Scout victims' choice: Sue rashly, or wait and risk loss

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Some been dramatically short-
victims of childhood sex ened," said New Jersey
abuse who are consider- state Sen. Joe Vitale, a
ing suing the Boy Scouts of Democrat. "It's unfair."
America face a choice: an The Boy Scouts said in a
anguished rush to meet a statement that the orga-
deadline earlier than what nization is committed to
lawmakers intended, or compensating victims as
wait and sue local coun- it goes through bankrupt-
cils, perhaps putting them cy proceedings and said
at greater risk of losing. the November date "sets
Attorneys for the Scouts a clear timeline for victims
and victims agreed during to come forward and later
federal bankruptcy pro- seek compensation from
ceedings this month on a the BSA's proposed com-
Nov. 16 deadline by which pensation trust."
victims must come forward The bankruptcy process
with a claim or be barred often leaves people who
from bringing one later, with don't make claims by the
the victims' lawyers seeking deadline with a reduced
a cutoff in late December chance for compensation,
and the Boy Scouts pushing said Marci Hamilton, the
for early October. chief executive of Child
New Jersey, New York, This Feb. 4, 2013 file photo shows a close up of a Boy Scout uniform badge during a news confer- USA, a nonprofit that fights
California and a few other ence in front of the Boy Scouts of America headquarters in Irving, Texas. child abuse.
states loosened their stat- Associated Press On the other hand, she not-
ute of limitations last year. ed, some victims just might
Victims in New Jersey, date include Arizona, North rior Court this month before others anguished him, he not be ready to talk about
which opened a two-year Carolina and Vermont, the deadline was agreed said. their abuse and forgo a
"window" for victims who which has a permanent to against the Scouts and "Had I not seen those Boy shot at justice.
were previously barred from window for those alleging is part of the federal bank- Scout cases online, I might "It doesn't take into ac-
suing, must decide whether abuse. Washington, D.C., ruptcy proceedings. He not have come forward," count the needs of the vic-
to pursue their claim by the would also be affected. says in his suit that he was he said. "If I don't come for- tims to process everything
November date instead of Victims would still be able abused by a Scout leader ward, then that's it. That's before they come forward,
the one specified in the law to pursue cases against lo- when he was a teenager. a voice that will not be which is why New Jersey's
passed last year — in De- cal councils, though, ac- After years of coping with heard," he said. window is two years, not six
cember 2021. cording to attorneys. The anxiety, guilt and shame, Advocates for victims and months," she said "It's clev-
California opened a three- drawback, attorneys say, is he said, he read about the lawmakers who wrote er, but it's also ruthless."
year window last year, that councils could defend other lawsuits against the the laws giving victims lon- The Boy Scouts sought
while New York's Legislature themselves by deflecting Scouts and wrestled in his ger to sue say the sped-up bankruptcy protection in
voted to extend its one- blame to the national or- mind with the organiza- timeline defeats their pur- February, aiming to stanch
year window, set to expire ganization, which could tion's history. pose: to give victims time hundreds of individual law-
in August, until August 2021 not be included in suits af- The idea of being prevent- to confront abuse and de- suits and create a compen-
because of the COVID-19 ter Nov. 16. ed from "helping those that cide on their own terms to sation fund for men who
outbreak. Michael Kaminski, 63, of suffer from abuse" by com- come forward. were molested years ago
Other states with windows Parsons, Kansas, filed a ing forward with his own "It's disappointing and dis- by Scoutmasters or other
that end after the Nov. 16 claim in New Jersey Supe- story and lighting a path for turbing the time frame has leaders.q

Target, CVS temporarily close stores due to protest dangers

cluding 46 stores in Califor- priority, so we are continu- es. The other three officers
nia and 33 in Minnesota, ally monitoring protests as who took part in the ar-
where the company is they occur in the communi- rest were fired but haven't
based and where the pro- ties we serve and will close been charged.
tests over Floyd's death be- stores, if needed, to help "We are heartbroken by
gan. Target is also closing ensure the safety of em- the death of George Floyd
some stores in Colorado, ployees and customers," and the pain it is causing
Pennsylvania, Illinois, New CVS said in a statement. communities across the
York, Georgia, Oregon, Floyd, who was black and country," Target said in a
Michigan and Texas. handcuffed, died while be- statement. "Our focus will
CVS didn't say how many ing arrested by Minneapo- remain on our team mem-
stores it had closed, but it lis police for suspicion of bers' safety and helping our
People leave a vandalized Target store in Oakland, Calif., on said the shuttered locations passing a counterfeit bill on community heal."
Saturday, May 30, 2020, during protests against the death of
George Floyd, a handcuffed black man in police custody in are in more than 20 states May 25. Cellphone video Target said employees at
Minneapolis. and the District of Colum- showed that a white officer, stores that are closed will
Associated Press bia. A spokeswoman for the Derek Chauvin, pressed his be paid for up to 14 days,
company said pharmacies knee into Floyd's neck for including premiums they
By DEE-ANN DURBIN damaged during weekend at closed stores will reroute several minutes while Floyd are earning due to the
AP Business Writer protests over the death of customers to a nearby CVS pleaded for air and even- coronavirus pandemic.
Target and CVS are tem- George Floyd. so they can get prescrip- tually stopped moving. They will also be able to
porarily closing certain lo- Target said it was closing tions filled. "Employee and Chauvin now faces murder work at Target locations
cations after some were 105 stores in 10 states, in- customer safety is our top and manslaughter charg- that remain open.q