Man Sues LDS Church Claiming Abuse By Home Teacher

Associated Press/April 3, 2006

Portland, Oregon -- An man who claims he was abused by a home teacher from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is suing the church for at least five million dollars.

The unnamed plaintiff accused home teacher Ken Johnson of regular and repeated sexual abuse from 1986-1988 in Beaverton.

Mormon church spokeswoman Kim Farah, at church headquarters in Salt Lake City, says church leaders learned of the incident in 2001.

She says they reported it to authorities, who declined to prosecute because so much time had passed.

She said counseling was offered to the victim and Ken Johnson was excommunicated in January 2002. Excommunicated Mormons can attend services but are barred from church positions of responsibility and from the sacraments.