(Fishers, IN) – Massillamany & Jeter LLP today filed a lawsuit against the Southern Hancock County School Corporation and former teacher K. Turner, for their roles in a sexual assault of former Doe Creek Middle School student Zachery Harrison. In October 2012, Turner sexually assaulted fourteen-year old Zachery Harrison in the boys’ locker room after Harrison was injured in gym class. Turner was charged with 2011 with two Class D felonies for Battery and Child Molestation. In August 2013, he eventually pled guilty to one count of Battery Resulting gin Bodily Injury as part of a plea deal with prosecutors. He was sentenced to eighteen months in prison, all of which was suspended in favor of probation.
Mario Massillamany commented on the civil suit which was filed today. “Schools have a sacred duty, not only to educate our children, but to protect them,” Massillamany said. He went on to add that this incident could have been prevented. “The school corporation failed to use reasonable measures to prevent, detect, and halt Turner’s behavior,” he added. According to Massillamany, the school corporation knew or should have known about Turner’s actions through the reporting of another Doe Creek teacher but that the school corporation failed to act. “Upon being notified of serious concerns in Turner’s behavior, school officials responded by claiming that they ‘didn’t need a weekly report’ on what was happening within the school and that administrators only wanted to hear about ‘big enough situations,’” he added. “Well, it doesn’t get much more serious than harm to children.”
The lawsuit requests an unspecified number of damages. “The Harrisons have suffered greatly as a result of the actions of Turner and Hancock County Schools,” Massillamany added. “They deserve compensation for their lost wages, Zachery’s ongoing mental health care, and the general emotion distress that is inevitable when a child is the subject of sexual assault.” Massillamany believes there may be other victims. “Predators like this seldom stop with one victim,” he stated. “Children in our community deserve better than this,” he added.
Massillamany & Jeter LLP is a full-service law firm based in Fishers but serving the entire State of Indiana. Mario Massillamany and Chris Jeter began their careers as public interest lawyers, serving their communities at the local, state, and national level. Mario served as a local prosecutor while Chris spent several years on active duty in the United States Navy as a Judge Advocate General (JAG). Following their years in public service, Mario and Chris worked for a large law firm with a nationwide practice. In 2015, they decided to make their extensive experience available to everyday people and small businesses. The firm focuses its practice in the areas of personal injury, criminal defense, corporate law, civil litigation, family law, estate planning, and government services. The Firm has offices in Fishers, Carmel, Noblesville, Plainfield, Greenwood, and Lawrence.