Jury Awards $18 Million in Landmark Child Victims Act Trial

A Kings County jury has awarded $18 million to a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, marking the first time a case under New York’s Child Victims Act has reached a trial verdict. The decision holds the City of New York liable for systemic failures at P.S. 15 in Brooklyn during the 1970s.

The case centered on the abuse of a student, identified as A.P., by music teacher John Clark. Testimony revealed that school administrators possessed prior knowledge of allegations against Clark but neglected to intervene, leaving students vulnerable. Attorney Jeff Herman, who led the prosecution, argued that the school’s inaction directly enabled the abuse.

This verdict serves as a significant legal precedent, signaling that institutions can no longer hide behind time-barred statutes to escape accountability for past negligence. By successfully litigating a claim that would have been dismissed under previous laws, the outcome validates the intent of the Child Victims Act to provide a pathway for survivors to seek redress. Herman emphasized that the ruling functions as a long-overdue acknowledgement of the harm inflicted on students and reinforces the necessity of institutional oversight in protecting children from predatory staff.