Bobby Hayes, the lead plaintiff in a class action lawsuit against the city for sexual abuse claims by 263 people, says the city is attempting to wiggle out of a mess like a rat in a hole.
The city spent $466 thousand on investigating the sexual abuse when Mel Norton was mayor but is appealing a judge’s ruling over it being allowed as a class action instead of individual lawsuits.
The 260 plus people say they were sexually abused decades ago by the late Ken Estabrooks when he was a police officer and then a city works employee.
Hayes isn’t surprised at word of the appeal but says if the city wants a fight then roll up your sleeves.
Estabrooks was convicted in 1999 of indecently assaulting four people when they were young and served time in prison before dying in 2005.
