SEATTLE, Nov. 23 (UPI) -- A jury in Washington State has ordered the Mormon Church to pay $4.2 million to two sisters abused by their stepfather.
Peter Taylor, also a defendant in the lawsuit, served four years in prison for the crimes. The sisters claimed two bishops in the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints covered up the sexual abuse.
The Salt Lake City Tribune reports lawyers for the sisters argued that the bishops were functioning as family counselors, since, under Washington State Law, clergy are not required to report sexual abuse.
One sister said she and her parents had a meeting with a bishop who called her in alone first and told her she should be thankful she had not reported her stepfather's actions to police because that would have destroyed the family.
