Correction: Haiti Abuse-Defamation story
In a story March 10 about a defamation lawsuit filed over sexual abuse allegations against an orphanage founder, The Associated Press erroneously identified Paul Kendrick as the founder of the Voice of the Faithful. Kendrick was a co-founder of the state chapter of the organization.
A corrected version of the story is below:
#MeToo is fresh backdrop in lawsuit over Haiti abuse claims
A Maine activist being sued over claims that a Haiti orphanage founder sexually abused boys says more accusers are coming forward.
A federal jury apparently didn’t believe seven men when they testified under oath that they were sexually abused by the founder of an orphanage in Haiti.
But things have changed since summer 2015. The number of men willing to testify about alleged abuse they endured as boys in Haiti has grown to at least 15, activist Paul Kendrick says, and the #MeToo movement has raised awareness of sexual misconduct.
Kendrick predicts a different outcome in a new defamation lawsuit targeting his claim that the orphanage was led by a serial pedophile.
“We have overwhelming amounts of evidence and testimony that this guy is a child abuser,” Kendrick said, “and we’re not done yet.”
Orphanage founder Michael Geilenfeld and a U.S. charity contend unsubstantiated assertions ruined Geilenfeld’s reputation and cost the charity several million dollars in donations. Geilenfeld also contends Kendrick’s allegations caused him to be falsely imprisoned for 237 days in Haiti.