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	$1.4m in Damages in Sexual Abuse Case By Wendy Wilson Winona Post October 10, 2011 http://www.winonapost.com/stock/functions/VDG_Pub/detail.php?choice=44335&home_page=1&archives= A Hennepin County jury awarded a sexual abuse victim $410,000 in damages and $1,000,000 in punitive damages this week for abuse by a former Winona pastor. Samantha Beach, 40, was awarded damages totaling $410,000, against former Pastor Donald Budd and his former employer, the Minnesota Annual Conference of United Methodist Church, for sexual abuse committed by Mr. Budd at a church located in Winona. In a special verdict Friday, the jury awarded Beach punitive damages in the amount of $1 million against Donald Budd for deliberately disregarding the rights or safety of others. Beach filed a lawsuit against the Minnesota Annual Conference stemming from Budd’s inappropriate sexual contact with her. When the Conference failed to properly investigate her complaint, Beach tape-recorded a conversation with Budd with the assistance of Winona police. Budd pled guilty to two felony counts stemming from his inappropriate sexual contact with Beach. The jury found that Budd was an employee of the Minnesota Annual Conference of United Methodist Church and not the local church. The jury concluded that the conference, including Bishop Sally Dyck, failed to take reasonable action when it knew or should have known that the abuse was taking place.
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