George Kermit Tilson

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1. Case History - 961900197
   view source details | 15 Aug 2023 | Utah Courts XChange
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• Case History - 961900197
  Publisher: Utah Courts XChange
  Date: 15 Aug 2023
  Archive.org
  Source type: News article
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  If 1 Plaintiffs Jane Doe (Jane) and John Doe (John) appeal from the trial court's order
  dismissing their negligence claims against the Corporation of the President of The Church
  of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (COP or the Church) on the basis that Jane's claim was
  untimely and John's claim was statutorily barred. We affirm.

  If 2 For many years, Jane and her son John were members of the Church and regularly

  attended a ward in the Salt Lake Holladay Stake. [2] George Tilson was also a member of
  the Church, and held the positions of "High Priest"[3] and scout leader within the Church.

  If 3 Beginning in 1966 and continuing through 2002, COP received several complaints from
  its members that Tilson was sexually abusing children within his ward. [4] However, COP not
  only failed to do anything in response to these complaints, it actively concealed Tilson's
  sexual abuse from its members and secular authorities. Moreover, COP allowed Tilson to
  continue to hold the positions of High Priest and scout leader.

  If 4 Two of Tilson's victims during the time period that he was alleged to have engaged in
  child sexual abuse were Jane and John. In the summer of 1976, Tilson enticed Jane, who
  was then thirteen years old, into his home where he fondled her under her clothing. Tilson
  sexually abused John, Jane's son, some time between 1993 and 1996 when John was
  approximately five years old. John's abuse also occurred in Tilson's home after Tilson lured
  him away from a neighbor's yard where he was playing.

  If 5 In the fall of 2001 , Jane learned of news reports that led her to believe that COP had
  prior knowledge of Tilson's propensities to sexually abuse children. Jane's subsequent
  investigation of these reports ultimately prompted her to file a complaint in June of 2002
  against Tilson, alleging that he had sexually abused Jane and John, and against COP,
  alleging negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, and intentional infliction of emotional distress
  arising out of Tilson's alleged sexual abuse. In response, COP filed a motion to dismiss,
  pursuant to rule 12(b)(6) of the Utah Rules of Civil Procedure. Shortly thereafter, Plaintiffs
  filed a Notice of Constitutional Challenge to Utah Code Annotated section 78-12-25.1
  ( 2002 ).

  If 6 On November 5, 2002, the trial court granted COP's motion to dismiss. The trial court
  dismissed Jane's negligence and breach of fiduciary duty claims on the basis that the
  applicable statute of limitations had run. The trial court dismissed John's negligence and
  breach of fiduciary duty claims on the basis that section 78-12-25.1(5) allows an action for
  negligently permitting sexual abuse to be brought against only "a living person." The trial
  court dismissed Plaintiffs' claims for intentional infliction of emotional distress for the same
  reasons it dismissed their other claims, and also because their claims were prohibited under
  the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. Finally,

  the trial court rejected John's claim that section 78-12-25.1(5) violated the open courts
  provision of the Utah Constitution because no special relationship existed between COP
  and John, and therefore, COP had no duty to protect John from Tilson.

  If 7 In response to the trial court's ruling, Plaintiffs filed an amended complaint. On May 5,
  2003, the trial court dismissed the amended complaint for the same reasons it had
  dismissed the original complaint. Plaintiffs timely filed their notice of appeal.

  --

  06/05/02 Utah

  LDS George Tilson was in the court again for having abused yet another child, “a Salt

  Lake County woman, claims Tilson, a convicted sex offender, sexually abused her in 1976
  and molested her 5-year-old son nearly two decades later. LDS Church leaders allegedly
  knew of the abuse, but failed to report it to the proper authorities.” A lawsuit was filed
  against the LDS church.” “Tuesday's 15-page filing describes Tilson as a "dangerous serial
  predatory pedophile" who sexually abused at least 11 underage members of his Salt Lake
  County LDS ward from 1963 to 1996, when he was convicted of abusing an 11 -year-old girl
  in his hot tub. He served six months in jail after pleading guilty to attempted sexual abuse of
  a child, a third-degree felony.” “Parents of Tilson's victims allegedly reported the abuse to
  various church leaders, including a Young Women's president, a stake president, a bishop
  and a stake high council member. But rather than report the abuse, the suit states, LDS
  church officials continued Tilson's church appointments and allowed him to serve as a Boy
  Scout leader.”