Trial Magazine

While serving as a volunteer football coach at Benjamin Franklin High School, Jaime Jimenez allegedly sexually abused nine minor boys, most of whom were football players. The abuse ranged from repeated sexual contact to inappropriate touching to rape and continued for years in some instances. The boys, now adults, suffered emotional distress, necessitating counseling. Jimenez, 50, pleaded no contest to abusing three of the alleged victims and is serving a prison sentence.

The nine alleged victims sued the Los Angeles Unified School District, alleging negligent supervision and training. The plaintiffs asserted that the defendant performed no meaningful background check on Jimenez and failed to train its employees on mandatory reporting, which would have required the other coaches—who allegedly observed the inappropriate behavior—to inform authorities of Jimenez’s conduct.

The parties mediated an $8 million settlement.

Citation: Doe v. Los Angeles Unified Sch. Dist., Confidential Dkt. No. (Cal. Super. Ct. Los Angeles Cnty. Aug. 29, 2018).

Plaintiff counsel: Morgan Stewart, Ronald Labriola, and AAJ member Thomas Moore, all of Irvine, Calif.