Freeport man ordered to pay millions in defamation case wants new trial

Portland Press Herald
August 20, 2015

http://www.pressherald.com/2015/08/20/freeport-man-ordered-to-pay-millions-in-defamation-case-wants-new-trial/

Paul Kendrick questions the admission of some evidence in the case filed by a Haiti orphanage founder.

A Freeport man ordered to pay $14.5 million in damages to a Haiti orphanage founder he accused of sexually abusing boys is asking for a new trial.

A jury ordered Paul Kendrick to pay $7 million to Michael Geilenfeld, founder of St. Joseph’s Home for Boys.

Kendrick must also pay $7.5 million to North Carolina-based Hearts with Haiti after an email campaign that Geilenfeld says resulted in his being imprisoned for 237 days in Haiti and cost the charity millions in donations.

Kendrick filed his request for a new trial on Thursday in federal court. He says evidence of Geilenfeld’s time in prison was erroneously admitted during the trial. The trial ended in July.

Geilenfeld’s lawyer says he will file a response with the court within two weeks.