Torrance, California — A jury has awarded $13.6 million to five women who were sexually assaulted by their former high school teacher in the 1980s. The verdict was reached on Monday after a four-week trial, during which jurors found that the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District failed to protect students from the abuse.
The jury determined that school administrators were negligent in oversight of Garry Poe, a longtime English teacher and baseball coach at Rolling Hills High School. Evidence presented during the trial revealed that Poe groomed students so he could exploit them during annual trips to Europe that he chaperoned after they graduated.
Now in their 50s and 60s, the women testified under pseudonyms during the trial. They described a troubling dynamic, portraying the European excursions as rife with alcohol and inappropriate behavior. One woman, identified as Kim, recounted her experiences with Poe, revealing that he often visited her hotel room and summoned her, instilling fear throughout the trip.
Kim detailed instances of assault, recalling how Poe had cultivated a friendly rapport with her before crossing boundaries. “Every night I was scared,” she said, emotionally conveying the trauma she endured at just 18 years old, when she felt she was merely trying to survive the frightening ordeal.
Another woman testified that Poe initiated unwanted sexual encounters with her during a trip when she was 17. A different graduate recalled an incident in 1989 where she engaged in sexual acts with Poe during the excursion. Michelle, another victim, shared how she felt confused when Poe attempted to kiss her in his hotel room, prompting her to seek help from another teacher, who dismissed her concerns and tried to downplay the situation.
Daniel Varon, one of the women’s attorneys, characterized Poe as a “wolf” who preyed on young girls. He emphasized that once the trips began shortly after graduation, the former students were no longer under the school’s jurisdiction, allowing Poe to exploit that loophole.
The women conveyed the lasting psychological impact caused by their experiences with Poe, describing feelings of shame and trauma. While they did not pursue legal action against Poe directly, his coercive actions were central to the legal battle against the school district, which also summoned him to testify.
Despite Poe’s claims of innocence and assertions that his interactions were innocent, the jury affirmed the women’s testimonies. Lawyers for the school district acknowledged the abhorrent nature of Poe’s actions but contended that most incidents occurred outside of school supervision, arguing for limited liability.
In closing arguments, the women’s lawyers sought damages totaling nearly $100 million, while the district’s legal team suggested much lower amounts, indicating the jury’s ultimate decision came after careful deliberation of both perspectives. The jury awarded $3.4 million to three of the women and $1.7 million to the other two.
Representing the school district, attorney Harry Harrison argued that the awarded sums were disproportionate compared to the women’s success in life, stating, “I saw five women who went on to become educated, went on to have careers and families.”
This judgment exposes not only the systemic failures that allowed the abuse to occur but also underscores the devastating impact such trauma has on survivors.
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