The Latest: Boy Scouts of America pleased with court ruling

HARTFORD, Conn. – The Latest on the overturning of a $12 million jury verdict against the Boy Scouts of America (all times local):

7:55 p.m.

The Boy Scouts of America says it’s pleased a Connecticut court has overturned a $12 million ruling against it in the case of a boy who alleged he was sexually assaulted by an older boy in his troop in the mid-1970s.

It says youth protection is of paramount importance to it and it has always focused on the best interests of its young people.

The boy said he was sexually abused three times beginning when he was 11 by an older Scout in Troop 137 in New Fairfield. A jury agreed the Boy Scouts of America failed to protect him from the abuse.

State Supreme Court justices ordered a new trial in a split decision Monday, saying the trial judge improperly denied a defence request to instruct jurors on negligence liability.

The $12 million verdict was the largest against the Irving, Texas-based Boy Scouts.

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12:20 p.m.

The Connecticut Supreme Court has overturned a $12 million jury verdict against the Boy Scouts of America in the case of a boy who alleged he was sexually assaulted by an older boy in his troop in the mid-1970s.

Justices ordered a new trial in a split decision Monday, saying the trial judge improperly denied a defence request to instruct jurors on negligence liability.

The plaintiff is known only as John Doe in court documents. He alleged he was sexually abused three times beginning when he was 11 by an older Scout in Troop 137 in New Fairfield.

A jury agreed with Doe’s claims that Boy Scouts of America failed to protect him from the abuse. The $12 million verdict was the largest ever against the Irving, Texas-based Boy Scouts.