3 Chicago Rape Victims Receive $18M Jury Award

July 20, 2015

A jury has awarded $18 million to three rape victims after finding a Chicago halfway house at fault for not alerting police when a newly-admitted serial rapist walked away in 2009.

The women were sexually assaulted at knifepoint in Chicago by Julius Anderson. The jury deliberated less than an hour before finding St. Leonard’s Ministries negligent in detaining Anderson.

St. Leonard’s Ministries executive director Walter Boyd said it plans to appeal, adding the nonprofit doesn’t have the insurance to cover the damages.

Anderson had been jailed for more than 30 years on sexual assault and armed robbery convictions. He was released to St. Leonard’s Ministries despite the opposition of prosecutors. Chicago police weren’t notified Anderson was missing for 12 days.

Anderson was convicted in 2013 and sentenced to 75 years in prison.

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