Trial in Abuse Case Up to $1 Million Sought, WOWT [Omaha NE], October 1, 2006

Trial in Abuse Case
Up to $1 Million Sought

WOWT [Omaha NE]
October 1, 2006

http://www.wowt.com/news/headlines/3954061.html

A jury will decide if a former Girls and Boys Town resident was a victim of sexual abuse or a manipulative liar in search of $1 million.

John Sturzenegger, now 23, is suing Boys Town and his former family teacher Glenn Moore, alleging he was sexually fondled by Moore in 1997.

On one side, attorneys say Boys Town is concerned about Sturzenegger and wanted to help him. The other side says Sturzenegger was a frightened teenager who was fondled for $5.

Sturzenegger may ask for as much as $1 million for a fondling incident he claims happened at Boys Town in 1997.

His attorney, James Sherrets says, "We think it's very brave for coming forth and doing this and he's suffered a lot of injuries as a consequence. There's something peculiar about a sexual injury like this that goes much deeper than other kinds of assaults and the psychiatrist will testify about that."

Boys Town attorney James Martin Davis says, "He's a long-term drug user and he's got three or four very serious psychological disorders."

Glenn Moore denies abusing anyone. The former family teacher at Boys Town was in charge of disciplining Sturzenegger and the jury was told Sturzenegger hated discipline, black people, and Boys Town.

Davis says, "He was overheard by Pastor Charlie Smith, the protestant pastor over there, say he was going to get Glenn Moore and true to his words, he did."

James Sherrets says, "He told people about this back when he was 15. He's told people consistently about it since."

But Boys Town says Sturzenegger's story has changed three times.

Davis says, "He's fabricated a case here where all we have here is the uncorroborated statement of that young man who was at Boys Town because he was an habitual liar. That's what our evidence is showing."

Sherrets contends, "This is all against the backdrop of a very scared little boy who was 15, 14 at the time; about 5' 5", 105 pounds. And the alleged perpetrator is over six-foot about 300 pounds. He's very frightened by the whole thing I'm sure."

Sturzenegger's attorney says Glenn Moore left Girls and Boys Town shortly after the alleged fondling.

Moore's attorney says his wife had just lost a baby during childbirth, was on doctor-ordered bed rest and needed help with their seven-year-old son at home.

Girls and Boys Town also points out that Moore has no criminal record, has been married 17 years and passed all background checks.

The trial is expected to last a week.