IDAHO FALLS, Idaho — A judge has ruled that the Boy Scouts of America and the Grand Teton Council can be held liable for the actions of a camp program director convicted of molesting two brothers.
The decision Friday by 6th District Court Judge Ronald Bush opens the doors for plaintiffs Adam Steed, 23, and Ben Steed, 26, to seek civil damages for their molestation by Brad Stowell in 1997.
The two men say Scout officials violated their own guidelines by ignoring multiple warnings about Stowell.
The ruling means that the case could go before a jury for a trial, the Idaho Falls Post-Register newspaper reported Saturday.
Lawyers for the Boy Scouts argued that the Steeds should be suing Stowell, but Bush said a corporation can be convicted of a criminal offense if it fails to do something required by law.