Fog/Mist 45°
Tag:

Child Victim's Act

News
COVID-19: Child Victims Act Extended Through January COVID-19: Child Victims Act Extended Through January
Covid-19: Child Victims Act Extended Through January New York is extending the window for abuse victims to file claims under the Child Victims Act due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. During his daily COVID-19 briefing on Friday, May 8 in the Murray Student Center at Marist College, Cuomo announced the state is extending the window to file abuse claims by five months due to the virus. Anyone looking to file a claim under the Child Victims Act will now have through Jan. 14 to do so. Cuomo said that “the COVID pandemic has limited survivors’ ability to file claims and effectively arguing their case, delaying their long-overdue jus…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
News
Former Coach From Northern Westchester Accused Of Molesting Student At School Former Coach From Northern Westchester Accused Of Molesting Student At School
Former Coach From Northern Westchester Accused Of Molesting Student At School A former children’s sports coach in Westchester has become the latest accused of sexually abusing a minor decades ago as part of a Child Victims Act case that was filed earlier this month. Edwin Gaynor, of Ossining, is accused of fondling a minor during a gym class in the 1960s when he worked at Immaculate Heart of Mary School in Scarsdale, according to a lawsuit filed in Westchester County civil court. It is alleged that the Archdiocese of New York knew of the abuse and rather than handle the situation, they instead continued to move Gaynor to different schools, none of which have been nam…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
News
Details Emerge After Retired Area Judge Accused Of Sex Abuse Details Emerge After Retired Area Judge Accused Of Sex Abuse
Details Emerge After Retired Area Judge Accused Of Sex Abuse A retired Orange County Court judge has been accused of sexually abusing a former student decades ago. Judge Jeffrey Berry was accused of assaulting a teenage girl between 1970 and 1972 when he was a teacher and she was a student at Cornwall High School in New Windsor. The lawsuit filed in Orange County Supreme Court alleges that Berry met a student in the fall of 1970 when she was 16 and a sophomore at the school. The lawsuit states that his alleged victim suffered emotional and psychological distress that have persisted to this day. The complaint states that Berry was “grooming” the girl…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
News
Retired Area Judge Accused Of Sexually Abusing Teen Retired Area Judge Accused Of Sexually Abusing Teen
Retired Area Judge Accused Of Sexually Abusing Teen Click here for an updated story: Details Emerge After Retired Area Judge Accused Of Sex Abuse A retired judge in the Hudson Valley has been named in a new lawsuit under the Child Victims Act that he sexually abused a teen during the 1970s. The suit, filed last month in Orange County Court by a Pennsylvania woman, alleges that Judge Jeffery Berry, who retired in 2015, sexually assaulted her while she was a student at Cornwall Central High School, according to multiple reports. The suit, obtained by News 12, says the judge began grooming the victim when she was 16-years-old while he…

SHARE

by Kathy Reakes
News
Ex-Area Teacher Accused Of Sexually Abusing Student Found Dead Ex-Area Teacher Accused Of Sexually Abusing Student Found Dead
Ex-Area Teacher Accused Of Sexually Abusing Student Found Dead A Hudson Valley teacher who was recently accused of the alleged sexual abuse of an elementary student years ago was found dead at his Orange County home. Shawn Memmelaar, a retired Newburgh physical education teacher, was found dead Sunday, Oct. 13, of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Town of Goshen Police said. Memmelaar, who was a gym teacher at the now-closed Union Grove Elementary School in Newburgh, had denied the allegations after a recently filed lawsuit claimed he abused student Sandra Burke, 55, from 1969 through 1975. Burke's attorney, Evan Foulke, told News 12, that Memmelaar wou…

SHARE

by Kathy Reakes
News
Former Pastor In Area Accused Of Child Sex Abuse Former Pastor In Area Accused Of Child Sex Abuse
Former Pastor In Area Accused Of Child Sex Abuse A longtime area Catholic priest has been placed on administrative leave following an allegation of child abuse from years ago. Monsignor Edward Weber, the director of Priest Personnel Office in the archdiocese, is one of four priests in the Archdiocese of New York to be placed on leave following new allegations, said an article in the Catholic New York, the archdiocese's newspaper. The three other priests include Msgr. Edward Barry of Holy Rosary parish in Hawthorne, Father William Luciano of Blessed Sacrament parish in New Rochelle, and Msgr. James White of St. Vito-Most Holy Tri…

SHARE

by Kathy Reakes
Politics
Cuomo Says He'll Push To Legalize Marijuana For Recreational Use Cuomo Says He'll Push To Legalize Marijuana For Recreational Use
Cuomo Says He'll Push To Legalize Marijuana For Recreational Use New York is going to get a little greener if Gov. Andrew Cuomo has his wish. Cuomo announced that legalizing the adult use of marijuana is near the top of his legislative priorities in 2019during a speech in Manhattan Monday, previewing his January annual State of the State address.  He also vowed to pass the Child Victim’s Act, strengthen gun laws and re-evaluating the current cash bail system in jails and prisons. Currently, New York only allows the use of medical marijuana companies, with several dispensaries operating in the Hudson Valley. Earlier this year, Cuomo put together a g…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Politics
Pivotal Murphy, Harckham State Senate Battle Gets Heated Pivotal Murphy, Harckham State Senate Battle Gets Heated
Pivotal Murphy, Harckham State Senate Battle Gets Heated The 40th Senate District, which includes parts of Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess counties is considered one of eight "battleground" elections that could tip the balance of political power in Albany. On Tuesday, Nov. 6 voters can choose between incumbent Republican Sen. Terrence Murphy and Democrat Peter Harckham. Murphy of Yorktown was elected to the state Senate in 2014, and is completing his second two-year term.  Harckham of South Salem, a former Westchester County legislator, defeated Robert Kesten in the Sept. 13 Democratic Party primary election. Kesten said he supports Harckh…

SHARE

by Jon Craig
News
Attorney General Issues Subpoenas, Offers Clergy Abuse Hotline Investigating Alleged Sex Crimes Attorney General Issues Subpoenas, Offers Clergy Abuse Hotline Investigating Alleged Sex Crimes
Attorney General Issues Subpoenas, Offers Clergy Abuse Hotline Investigating Alleged Sex Crimes This story has been updated. A "clergy abuse" telephone hotline has been set up by the state Attorney General's Office, as well as an online complaint form as subpoenas are being issued to all eight Roman Catholic Dioceses in New York. On Thursday, Sept. 6, Attorney General Barbara D. Underwood announced the new methods in which victims and anyone with information can provide tips. It's part of the Attorney General’s ongoing investigation into sexual abuse of children within the New York dioceses of the Catholic Church. The Attorney General's Charities Bureau, which oversees nonp…

SHARE

by Jon Craig
Politics
Actress Julianne Moore Calls Out NY Senators For Blocking Child Victims Act Actress Julianne Moore Calls Out NY Senators For Blocking Child Victims Act
Actress Julianne Moore Calls Out NY Senators For Blocking Child Victims Act Oscar-winning actress Julianne Moore has blasted nine New York state senators -- including four from the Hudson Valley -- for blocking the Child Victims Act.  The actress took to Twitter to urge her followers to directly call the elected officials and tell them to stop protecting predators and pass the Child Victims Act:  Among those singled out by Moore are: Sen. Sue Serino of Hyde Park who represents parts of Dutchess and Putnam counties, Sen. William Larkin Jr. who represents parts of Rockland and Orange counties, Sen. John Bonacic who represents part of Orange County, Sen. Terrence Murp…

SHARE

by Jon Craig