Florida jury orders $100 million award to a single abuse victim

November 10, 2011

A Florida jury has awarded a stunning $100 million in damages to a victim of sexual abuse by a Miami priest.

The jury called for $10 million in compensatory damages and $90 million in punitive damages. Although several American dioceses have been forced to pay $100 million or more to abuse victims, the Florida case stands out because it involves a single victim and a single priest. The awards were assessed against the individual defendant, Father Neil Doherty, who is unlikely to be able to pay more than a small fraction of that sum.

Father Doherty—who is currently in prison awaiting trial in a separate criminal case—has been the subject of many lawsuits. Most of the other cases have been settled for well under $100,000.

 

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Further information:

• Jury awards sex assault victim $100 million in priest abuse case (Miami Herald)
• Fla. jury awards $100M in priest abuse case (AP)