Florida Jury Awards $12.5M in Baptist Minister Sex Abuse Case

A central Florida jury has awarded $12.5 million in damages to a young man who was sexually abused by a Baptist minister when he was a child.

But an attorney for the Florida Baptist Convention said that the organization would appeal the ruling from a jury in Lake County, northwest of Orlando.

Attorney Gary Yeldell said the convention is confident an appellate court will overturn the ruling. He said the minister was an independent pastor and not supervised by the convention.

The jury verdict was returned on Saturday.

An attorney for the man, who is remaining anonymous, said the jury understood the “devastating” impact of the abuse. He said the man is now in his 20s and attending college.