Lisa Davis (3)

First published on my blog: http://www.knittingandsundries.com/2011/03/sins-of-brother-curtis-by-lisa-davis....

This title delves into the story behind Tim Kosnoff, a Seattle, WA, attorney who initiates a years-long lawsuit against the Mormon Church after being approached by a young man named Jeremiah Scott.

When Jeremiah was young, he had been repeatedly molested by a Mormon Church elder. The church "bishop" had been notified, but nothing was done. In uncovering the truth behind Jeremiah's show more molestation by Brother Frank Curtis, Kosnoff and his team also uncover a decades-long (1977-1991) string of molestations by Frank, in three different Mormon wards, as well as the now grown-up 20 other victims, one of them having spent time in a juvenile facility, himself accused of molestation. They also uncover what appears to be a pattern of cover-ups and misdirection on the part of the Mormon leadership that allowed this type of molestation to occur with other youth leaders.

This is a true story, with some names changed. Far more than a dispassionate recounting of the facts, many of the places and the lives of the youngsters were very descriptive.

There are many re-tellings of the legal scenes, strategies, and depositions, as well as a rather in-depth look at the inner workings of the Mormon church. Even if you're not into legal details, these are written in an informative fashion that draws the reader inside the courtroom. There were jaw-dropping instances of church leadership dropping the ball, including putting the abused on probation because he had "chosen" to return to the situation.

For me, the book was just too long and ended up dragging. Although meticulously researched, many of the legal maneuvers could have been pared down. I do get that the author is attempting to give the reader a sense of the frustration caused by the lengthy delays of the attorneys representing the deep-pocketed Mormon church, but I felt that it took years for me to read this one. Not knowing much about the Mormon religion before I read this, I did come away with a better understanding of it's hierarchy and structure, as well a moral indignation at the church "leaders" who allowed this sort of abuse to continue with mainly impoverished children.

QUOTES (from a galley; may be different in final version):

In some of the cases, church leaders had advised wives and children to be more understanding and help their abuser to heal. In other instances, they'd counseled pedophiles and, upon gaining a promise to change behavior, had placed the abusers back into positions in which they had easy access to children - Scout leader, Sunday School teacher, Little League coach, even spiritual leader.

Faced with similar incidents of sexual abuse involving the same child, the same people had reported only the non-Mormon abuser to the police.

"The church was the dark side," Kosnoff would say years later, reflecting on the case. "They were feeding my need to be a dark knight."

"How many times do you think he abused or improperly touched you?" Brooksby continued. "Can you give me an estimate?"
"Hundreds" show less

This book is at the same time disturbing and affirming as it tells the story of a protracted legal battle between 18 year old Jeremiah Scott and the Mormon Church.  Scott alleged that he had been repeatedly sexually abused by a member of the church when he was 12 years old.  The problem was that Brother Franklyn Curtis was dead, but Scott and his mother claimed that the Church itself was to blame - his mother told the Mormon Bishop about the abuse, but nothing was done.

They had difficulty show more finding a lawyer who would take his case, but finally Seattle criminal attorney Timothy Kosnoff agreed to team with civil litigation attorney Joel Salmi. For over three years, they worked to uncover the lengthy career of pedophilia of Brother Curtis, the assets of the Mormon church, and the inner workings of church organization and personnel policies.

Lisa Davis has given us not only the story of the protracted legal proceedings but also the background that Kosnoff and Salmi gathered to acquaint themselves with the inner workings of the Mormon church, the painful reminiscences of victims, the anguish of parents, and the obstreperousness of Church leaders who tried month after month, with one legal filing after another to stop the progress of this case.  Through numerous judges, a variety of venues, hours of depositions, the reader accompanies the team as they grind toward a resolution.

This one will probably not be viewed with delight by members of the Mormon church, but the clear presentation of the cover-up by Church leaders will, in the long term, serve the cause of justice and perhaps help others to know what has and can be done on their behalf. show less

When Jeremiah Scott and his mother come to Tim Kosnoff's office, their case has already been rejected by numerous lawyers. But their story of Jeremiah's repeated sexual abuse by an elderly man held in regard within the Mormon church kicks off Kosnoff's multi-year quest for justice. Kosnoff and his dedicated team find that the LDS church repeatedly knew about as many as 20 other incidents of abuse but continued placing Curtis in church roles interfacing with children. In a true story that show more ranges from Oregon's seamier neighborhoods to Arizona to the Midwest over the course of many years, Davis' impeccably-researched text crackles with tension. Those affiliated with the Mormon Church are likely to be dismayed by the work: the book's ability to peel back the veneer and showcase the church's corporate side is disturbing. Fans of the work of Deborah Laake, Martha Beck, and THE MORMON MURDERS, will find resonance in this book. Highly recommended. 37 show less