Scouts must pay sexual abuse damages

PORTLAND, Ore., April 13 (UPI) -- An Oregon jury ruled Tuesday the Boy Scouts must pay $1.4 million to a man who was sexually abused as a Scout in 1980s.

The Multnomah County jury will determine punitive damages, as opposed to actual damages, next week, The (Portland) Oregonian reported.

The report said nine of the 12 jurors ruled the Boy Scouts of America and the Portland-based Cascade Pacific Council, its local body, negligent. The jury assigned the Boy Scouts 60 percent of the responsibility, the council 15 percent and the Church of Latter-day Saints 25 percent. The church had coordinated the Scout program in Southeast Portland.

The suit was brought by Kerry Lewis, now 38.

The Oregonian story did not say who had abused Lewis.