Attorney John Manly called the crimes at Miramonte Elementary “nothing less than emotional mass murder,” and said the settlement indicated that the school district acknowledged that.
A settlement worth nearly $140 million was announced Friday between LAUSD and the families of 82 victims of former longtime Miramonte Elementary School teacher Mark Berndt, who fed semen-laced cookies to his students and committed many other lewd acts.
The settlement of the victims’ lawsuit against the Los Angeles Unified School District was worth $139,750,000, according to a press release from the plaintiffs attorneys announcing an early afternoon news conference.
Though there was some dispute about the exact figure, attorneys for both sides said they believed the amount was the largest-ever settlement involving a school district.
“It’s not a happy day. It’s gratifying, but we’re here because over 100 children were subjected to horrific abuse,” said plaintiffs attorney John Manly outside the Stanley Mosk Courthouse in downtown Los Angeles.
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