Throughout most of his life, New York native George Morris was considered one of the most respected figures in equestrian sports. Morris earned multiple awards and recognitions, including winning the silver medal in show jumping at the 1960 Rome Olympics. However, on Nov. 19, 2019, the U.S. Center for SafeSport announced that it would permanently ban Morris from all equestrian sports. The reasoning for the suspension was later found out to be because of allegations of sexual misconduct.
Statute of limitations
The main reason why Morris was suspended from the sport was that the U.S. Center for SafeSport did not have any statute of limitations regarding sexual misconduct. The center is very transparent in its determination to hear those who come forward to speak out on abuse. However, the center does not have the authority to press any criminal charges on the accused.
New York lawsuits filed
After the acknowledgment from the center, the two men who accused Morris of sexual misconduct filed a lawsuit with the Manhattan Supreme Court. The New York Child Victims Act sex abuse claims were filed by the two men on Feb. 14, 2019. The act allowed the statute of limitations to be extended to sexual abuse victims. The act was introduced because it was acknowledged that sexual abuse victims were not likely to come forward with their accusations until years later after the limitations ended.
Child Victims Act extension
The legislation has provided countless victims with the opportunity to come forward with their past sexual assault claims. The statute of limitations was extended until the victims were 55 years old. In addition to the extension, the law now allows those who could not file their claim before the new act was signed to have an additional year to file a lawsuit. This addition was called the “look back” period and was extended to Aug. 14, 2021.
If you have been a victim of sexual abuse and are not sure if you are allowed to file a lawsuit, you may want to obtain an attorney’s services. This may allow you to get your case in front of a judge as soon as possible.
