BECKLEY, W.Va. (AP) -- Lawyers for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Raleigh General Hospital have settled a $750 million child abuse case out of court.
The lawsuit accused the LDS Church of failing to report a case of child sexual abuse involving a church member in West Virginia.The trial was scheduled to begin next week in Raleigh County Circuit Court.
Raleigh County Circuit Judge H.L. Kirkpatrick on Monday said the hospital and the church informed him late last week they had settled with the plaintiff for an undisclosed amount of money.
Terms of the agreement will be presented for Kirkpatrick's approval at a summary proceeding on April 6.
James Adams, a member of the LDS Church, pleaded guilty in 1994 to 37 counts of sexually abusing his daughter and son. He was sentenced to 130 years in prison.
The lawsuit filed on the daughter's behalf alleges Blair Meldrum, who oversees 12 area LDS congregations, knew the abuse was occurring but conspired with other church officials, including former Raleigh General Hospital Administrator Ken Holt, to keep it secret.
In addition to being a church official, Holt was Adams' employer. Other hospital employees also were told of the abuse, but no one reported it, the lawsuit said.
William E. Watson, legal counsel for the church in the suit, said all parties were satisfied with the out-of-court settlement.
"Raleigh General Hospital and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints specifically deny any wrongdoing or liability for the claims. From the outset, the church and the hospital have desired to assist the minor child, and this agreement provides the means to accomplish that objective. It also pays the expenses which she has incurred," Watson said in a statement Tuesday.