Table of contents
- Latest George Harris Jr. Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Updates
- September 9, 2023: KTLA Reports Suit Says School Knew of Abuse
- September 6, 2023: Lawsuit Accuses Coach of Abuse
- August 31, 2023: Former Players File Suit
- What Is George Harris Jr.?
- Who May Be Affected?
- Reported Injuries or Damages
- Evidence to Preserve
- Filing Deadlines
- Potential Compensation
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Who Are the Plaintiffs in the George Harris Jr. Lawsuit?
- How Do the Plaintiffs Describe George Harris Jr.’s Role?
- What Has the District Superintendent Said About the Lawsuit?
- Did George Harris Jr. Also Coach at the University of Southern California?
George Harris Jr., a former El Segundo High School teacher and water polo coach, is accused of grooming, harassing and abusing students. Three former players make the claims in a civil lawsuit. They say it happened between 2002 and 2010.
The suit was filed in late August 2023 in Los Angeles County Superior Court. It names Harris and the El Segundo Unified School District as defendants.
No MDL has been formed. Harris had not been criminally charged as of September 2023. All claims are allegations, not findings.
Latest George Harris Jr. Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Updates
September 9, 2023: KTLA Reports Suit Says School Knew of Abuse
KTLA reported that no criminal charges had been filed against Harris so far [1]. The suit claims district officials were aware of the issues and allowed the abuse to continue.
Plaintiffs’ lawyer Ruth Rizkalla said the school was notified through various channels. These are the plaintiffs’ allegations, and a judge has made no findings on them.
September 6, 2023: Lawsuit Accuses Coach of Abuse
News reports said three former El Segundo High School students sued in a Los Angeles County court. The suit accuses George Harris Jr. of using his position to groom, harass and abuse them.
The district was also named in the suit. Its spokesperson said the district cannot comment on an ongoing legal matter. Harris could not be immediately reached for comment.
August 31, 2023: Former Players File Suit
The Daily Breeze reported that three former El Segundo water polo players filed a lawsuit that week against Harris and El Segundo Unified [2].
The plaintiffs claim the former coach groomed, harassed and molested them between 2002 and 2010. These are claims in a civil complaint. No court has made findings on them.
What Is George Harris Jr.?
According to the Los Angeles Times, George Harris Jr. started work for the El Segundo Unified School District in 1981 as an instructor [3]. He joined the water polo coaching staff at El Segundo High in 1991.
He became head coach in 1997. He departed in 2009, reportedly due to an unidentified medical condition. Those dates show his time in the district. They are not an abuse window.
Who May Be Affected?
Students who played on or were close to the El Segundo High School boys water polo program while Harris coached there may be affected. The three plaintiffs attended the school between 2002 and 2009.
The complaint alleges favoritism, private phone calls on sexual topics and team captaincy as a reward. Players who joined the conversations allegedly became favorites of Harris.
They were rewarded with positions as team captains. Whether any one person has a claim depends on their own facts and an individual legal review.
Reported Injuries or Damages
The complaint alleges grooming, harassment and abuse by Harris. One plaintiff says Harris gave him favoritism and gifts. He says Harris asked about his sex life, supplied pornography and asked him to touch his genitals.
Another plaintiff says Harris held hours-long phone calls with him about sexual topics. KTLA quoted plaintiffs’ lawyer Ruth Rizkalla as saying other plaintiffs had actual sexual contact with Harris. No court has found these claims true.
Evidence to Preserve
Keep anything that shows your time in the El Segundo High School water polo program or your contact with Harris:
- Yearbooks, team rosters and photographs that show your years in the program.
- Text messages, emails and social media messages with Harris or other staff.
- Notes of phone calls, including the dates and how long each call lasted.
- Gifts you received from Harris or anyone else connected to the team.
- Medical or counseling records related to what happened to you.
- Names of teammates or others who knew about the conduct.
- Any report you made to the school or to the police.
Store originals in a safe place and avoid deleting messages or posts, even ones that seem unimportant or painful to keep.
Filing Deadlines
California Code of Civil Procedure 340.1 says there is no time limit for starting an action to recover damages for childhood sexual assault [4].
The law sets conditions. A plaintiff who is 40 or older when the action is filed must file certificates of merit. Other deadlines may apply to other claims.
A lawyer can review your own situation and tell you which of these rules apply to you and to the school district.
Potential Compensation
In a childhood sexual abuse case, damages that may be claimed include medical and therapy costs, lost income, and pain and suffering.
California law allows up to treble damages against a defendant found to have covered up the abuse. No verdict or settlement has been reported in this case.
Compensation amounts vary by case. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Potential compensation depends on the facts of each claim.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who Are the Plaintiffs in the George Harris Jr. Lawsuit?
The plaintiffs in the George Harris Jr. lawsuit are three former water polo players who are not named in the reports. One attended El Segundo High School from 2002 to 2006. Another attended from 2005 to 2009.
How Do the Plaintiffs Describe George Harris Jr.’s Role?
The plaintiffs describe George Harris Jr. as a trusted father figure who abused his position, according to KTLA. One plaintiff says Harris recruited him when he was just an eighth grader.
What Has the District Superintendent Said About the Lawsuit?
The district superintendent, Melissa Moore, told the Los Angeles Times the district had been “made aware of allegations of serious misconduct.” She said it takes seriously its responsibility to maintain safe school environments on all of its campuses.
Did George Harris Jr. Also Coach at the University of Southern California?
George Harris Jr. also worked as an aquatics coach at the University of Southern California while he taught in the El Segundo Unified School District, according to the Los Angeles Times. The university is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit.