23 January 2023
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) – The federal civil jury found Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools did not act with ‘deliberate indifference’ in handling the sexual assault allegation from Myers Park High School in 2015 on Friday night.
CMS defended itself in a lawsuit claiming it didn’t do enough when a Myers Park student claimed another student sexually assaulted her eight years ago.
They released the following statement to Queen City News regarding the verdict:
“We are grateful the jury reached their decision after hearing all of the evidence.”
Former Myers Park assistant principal testified for the defense that he never talked with the woman identified as “Jane Doe,” the alleged victim in the case because Jane Doe’s mother sent an email to the principal in the days following the assault.
Anthony Perkins said he interpreted that email to mean that the girl’s mother would not allow her daughter to discuss the alleged sexual assault from 2015.
Cross-examination continued in the afternoon before the jury went into deliberations.
Serena Evans was another student who has come forward regarding assaults at Myers Park High School. She sent Queen City News the following statement regarding the verdict.
I am disappointed in the verdict that the jury in the Jane Doe case decided upon, especially because they came to the conclusion that she was in fact sexually assaulted on the campus of Myers Park High School.
CMS’s public response lacked acknowledgment of Jane Doe’s pain and suffering, which was extremely disappointing and hurtful.
I am fearful that this verdict will dissuade other survivors from coming forward.
I continue to be concerned that failing to hold CMS administrative staff accountable allows abuses like what Jane Doe, I, and many others have suffered to continue to happen.