Sen. Scott Brown's Sex Abuse Story Inspires Another Former Camper to Come Forward
Boston man reveals he was also abused at a young age at Camp Good News.
BOSTON April 5, 2011— -- Prosecutors have launched an investigation into a a second case of alleged sexual abuse at the summer camp where Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown was sexually molested as a child.
The investigation began after a second former camper, encouraged by Brown's admission, has revealed to his lawyer that he was also sexually abused at Camp Good News, the summer camp Brown attended as a child.
"He was inspired to come forward because Scott Brown came forward. He felt empowered," said Mitchell Garabedian, the lawyer representing the man, who was not identified.
Garabedian said the former camper, who is now an adult, came to him two weeks ago and disclosed that when he was a 10-year-old summer camper in 1985 a counselor or assistant director had allegedly abused him. The lawyer took the allegations to the Barnstable County District Attorney's office which has promised to investigate.
A Massachusetts state trooper called Garabedian's office today looking to get in touch with the victim. Garabedian confirmed that his client will "fully cooperate" with any investigation because "he wants to make the world a safer place for children."
Garabedian described the complainant as a single man living in the Boston area. Garabedian said, "He is in a lot of emotional pain, but now that he has come forward my client feels as though a great weight has been lifted."
According to the DA's office, after the Massachusetts State Police have finished their investigation, the report will go to the DA's office for review.
It may be difficult for the district attorney's office to proceed with the case. The statute of limitations on sexual abuse charges in Massachusetts varies with the kind of abuse that occurred. However, any incident that occurred more than 27 years ago needs to have some corroborating evidence in addition to the victim's statement in order to prosecute the case.
Barnstable County's First Assistant District Attorney Brian Glenny confirmed that his office is looking into the matter and said that his office can pursue even very old cases under the right circumstances. "You never know, there may have been a witness, or at least somebody who can confirm some of what happened. It doesn't have to be a videotape of the event," said Glenny.
Brown, a Republican, disclosed an account of his abuse at the same summer camp in his recently published book "Against All Odds." Brown said the abuse happened more than once when he was a summer camper at Camp Good News and that his abuser threatened to kill him if he told anyone. Brown has also said he is not interested in pursuing any charges against his alleged abuser or the camp.
Calls to Camp Good News were not returned today although in a previously released statement the camp has said it is shocked by the news that one of its counselors may have harmed a camper in this way. The camp has also said it conducts full background checks on all of its employees.
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