OMAHA (NE)
World-Herald
Published Saturday
October 1, 2005
BY KEVIN COLE
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
A Douglas County District Court judge heard closing arguments Friday on whether a former Boys Town resident's "repressed memories" of abuse should be allowed at trial.
Todd Rivers of Omaha has said that he was sexually abused by a family teacher, Michael Wolf, and by the Rev. James Kelly while living at Boys Town in the 1980s.
Rivers, 36, alleges that a repressed memory prevented him from recalling the sexual abuse until three years ago. He has since sued Boys Town and Kelly. Wolf died in 1990. Kelly and Boys Town deny that any sexual abuse occurred.
Judge Sandra Dougherty will issue a written ruling on whether expert testimony on repressed memory will be allowed in the yet-to-be-scheduled trial.
The concept of repressed memory is generally defined as a condition in which a person cannot remember a traumatic event.