The original lawsuit claiming sexual molestation and negligence that was filed Aug. 31, against former solicitor Jay Hodge Jr., the estate of the late William Hebard, the Boy Scouts of America, Pee Dee Area Council Boy Scouts of America, and First Presbyterian Church of Cheraw, was dropped 10 days later, with a new complaint being filed that adds a third unnamed victim, according to court records.
The alleged acts are said to have occurred within the parameters of scouting activities during the mid to late 1970s, the complaint claims. Two of the men making these accusations are now in their mid 40s. The third victim, listed as “Male C,” is 36 years old, the suit states.
The new Motion and Order filed with the Chesterfield County court on Sept. 10, by the Cockrell law firm of Chesterfield, is requesting a jury trial. The defendants have 30 days to answer these charges.
The plaintiffs have asked “in the interest of justice, that they be permitted to proceed in this matter confidentially, at least during the pretrial phases,” according to court documents.
The lawsuit also claims the Boys Scouts of America was negligent because the organization “failed to train scout leaders, parents, and scouts in how to recognize, report, and prevent child abuse.”
Hodge has emphatically denied all charges, saying the entire suit is “a disgusting lie.”
— Staff Writer Karen Kissiah can be reached by calling 843-537-5261, or by email at kkissiah@heartlandpublications.com.
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