In a response filed Monday in U. S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, lawyers for Branson-based Kanakuk and its CEO Joe White said the lawyer for the sex abuse victim who is suing them exaggerated efforts to communicate with the family.
Attorneys for the child, who was one of the dozens victimized by former Kanakuk camp director Pete Newman, currently serving two life sentences in a Missouri prison for molesting dozens of underage boys, asked for a restraining order prohibiting Kanakuk officials from contacting the family.
The response says that only two e-mails were sent, with both going out automatically to anyone who had enrolled in camp.
Circumstances surrounding communication with the family are explained in documents that were filed under seal.
In documents filed July 13, the plaintiffs in the $10 million lawsuit against White, Newman, and Kanakuk, listed as John and Jane Doe, acting behalf of their son, indicated that White and Kanakuk have not left them alone since the lawsuit was filed March 11.
The unwanted attention from White and Kanakuk officials began April 7, according to the motion. "Since appearing in this case, defendants have maintained regular communications with the plaintiffs, directly, by way of mail, telephone, and e-mail, despite repeated requests (from both plaintiffs and plaintiffs' counsel) that they not do so."
The latest such communication occurred July 8, the motion says,when "a package from Defendant White and his wife, arrived at the Doe home."
The e-mails, phone calls, letters, and packages have added to the boy's "emotional and psychological problems that stem from his sexual abuse."
The motion asked for a hearing as soon as possible.
The $10 million lawsuit against White, Newman, and Kanakuk alleges that Newman's sexual assault of the boy and others came after White ignored obvious danger signals and allowed Newman to continue working with young boys.
Newman is serving two life sentences, plus 30 years, after pleading guilty last year to several sex crimes involving teenage boys.
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of a Texas child by his parents. The father of the child says White,a nationally known Christan motivational speaker, encouraged him to send his son to Kanakuk Kamp in Branson following a speech at a Promise Keepers meeting in Irving, Texas.
What a liar. It is going to get interesting when this goes to court. I also bet that Joe White felt like Pete streaking with kids was not that big of a deal either. That is his problem.
ReplyDeleteThere are many reports that Joe white gave harsh criticizm to anyone who was trying to report Pete Newman all of those years. He would call them troublemakers and make them feel like outcasts. He is doing the same with the repsponse he had his lawyers submit.
Looks like Joe may have met his match.
It is good to finally see someone not backing down from those jerks and not taking any crap from them.
This is why they are in this deal in the first place. when are they going to learn that wrong is wrong? And the truth is the truth.
Joe White, Doug Goodwin and Kanakuk staff, tell the world the truth.