A local youth organization wants a Philadelphia judge to dismiss a civil suit alleging it harbored a same-sex child predator.
The Boys & Girls Club of Philadelphia stands accused of employing an alleged child molester, Percival Outland.
The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office recently dropped all criminal charges against Outland, but parents of three of his alleged victims are seeking damages in civil court.
According to their suit, Outland is “a gay man [who] who preys upon young boys.”
Outland allegedly molested three boys between 2013-15 while employed at the club, according to the suit.
The parents accuse the club of negligent supervision, negligent representation and other civil violations. They accuse Outland of battery and false imprisonment.
Outland, a former counselor at the club, couldn’t be reached for comment.
In a July 26 court filing, attorneys for the club asked that the plaintiffs’ suit be dismissed due to lack of evidence.
“For reasons unknown, plaintiffs have either failed or refuse to prosecute their cases,” attorneys stated in the filing.
They go on to note that plaintiffs failed to produce key information during the discovery process, and that plaintiffs are precluded from introducing evidence at trial relating to the withheld information.
Additionally, Common Pleas Judge John M. Younge recently fined an attorney for the plaintiffs $500 for allegedly not cooperating in the discovery process.
As a result, the plaintiffs’ case has been severely eroded, and should be dismissed, according to the filing.
“The plaintiffs are unable to meet their burden of proof at the trial of this matter,” the filing states.
As of presstime, the request for dismissal of the suit remained pending.
Neither side had a comment for this story.
In 2015, Outland was charged by the D.A.’s Office with unlawful contact with a minor, corruption of a minor, indecent assault, simple assault and related offenses.
But the D.A.’s Office eventually dropped the charges, and the criminal case against Outland was officially concluded May 31, when his bail money was returned to him.
Last month, Outland, 40, filed a motion for expungement of his criminal record.