SANTA CRUZ — A civil jury discovered Jimmy Dutra, a Watsonville Metropolis Council candidate operating for re-election, responsible for $1.1 million in damages on complaints that he sexually assaulted a 12-year-old boy in 2005 following deliberations Tuesday.
Jimmy Dutra. (File picture)
The jury ordered Dutra, who was not current on the announcement of the decision, to pay $1.133 million to Stephen Siefke to cowl financial and non-economic prices related to the case.
The jury discovered Dutra liable on 4 of 5 complaints: sexual battery, molesting or annoying a baby, lewd and lascivious conduct on a baby below 14 and the conduct being a considerable consider inflicting hurt to Siefke. The one grievance the jury didn’t discover Dutra responsible for was participating in conduct with malice or oppression. As a result of the trial was heard in a civil courtroom, Dutra won’t face jail time.
Siefke, now 31, filed the lawsuit in 2022, claiming that Dutra molested him whereas staying at Dutra’s home in Los Angeles in 2005 throughout a household trip when Siefke was 12 and Dutra was 30. Siefke alleged that Dutra engaged in undesirable sexual advances and genital touching whereas Siefke was making an attempt to sleep on an air mattress. Siefke’s mother and father allegedly tried to report the incident to legislation enforcement on the time, however Siefke was too ashamed to talk with police over it. He claims he suffered guilt, disgrace and signs of post-traumatic stress dysfunction afterward.
Siefke, who grew up in Watsonville, returned to the world in 2020 and was reminded of the incident as Dutra was making a bid for the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors two years later, an election which he later misplaced. Dutra’s marketing campaign cited his work with youth as board president of Pajaro Valley Prevention and Pupil Help and as an after-school substitute trainer at Lakeview Center Faculty, which prompted Siefke to file the lawsuit. Nonetheless, after the allegations got here out, Dutra was reportedly not working with the Pajaro Valley Unified Faculty District, and he had stepped down as Pajaro Valley Prevention and Pupil Help board president.
Shortly after the lawsuit, Dutra questioned the timing, because of each the election and the truth that he had simply gotten out of a litigation over his father’s property along with his father’s girlfriend, Susie McBride, who was included as a witness within the lawsuit. McBride died in 2023.
Through the trial, the prosecution highlighted the trauma the incident has had on Siefke and included testimony from buddies he had informed through the years. The protection questioned points of Siefke’s story, comparable to whether or not Dutra owned an air mattress on the time, and Dutra mentioned the allegations negatively impacted him personally and professionally.
Dana Scruggs, Siefke’s legal professional, mentioned he was grateful for the decision.
“I’m really relieved for Stephen Siefke that the jury heard his story and were persuaded that it was the truth,” he mentioned.
Scruggs mentioned the previous two years have been tough for Siefke.
“He’s not somebody who’s seeking this kind of attention,” he mentioned. “It’s been a very hard struggle. (He’s) aggravated by the fact that Jimmy Dutra never took responsibility.”
Christopher Panetta, Dutra’s legal professional, maintained that his shopper was harmless and can be exploring choices to attraction.
“We’re disappointed with the verdict,” he mentioned. “Jimmy Dutra didn’t do this.”
Dutra served one time period on the Metropolis Council from 2014 to 2018 however was re-elected in 2020 and served a one-year time period as mayor in 2021. In 2022, he made his third bid for county supervisor following the retirement of Greg Caput and even acquired a plurality of votes within the June main, going through off towards Felipe Hernandez within the November election. One month after the lawsuit was filed, Dutra was defeated by Hernandez however has remained on the Metropolis Council since.
Dutra is operating for one more council time period in District 6, the one contested council election in Watsonville, the place he’s going through off towards former Councilwoman Trina Coffman-Gomez.
Siefke initially sought $10 million in damages, however the jury not figuring out that Dutra acted with malice or oppression implies that Siefke won’t be awarded punitive damages the place the burden of proof is way increased.
Dutra wrote in a press release that he was very dissatisfied within the verdict.
“I have said and will maintain that this allegation is false and never happened,” he wrote. “This case was about revenge and money. Reaching the threshold in a civil suit is extremely low. In this case an allegation and hearsay was enough. However, when the jury had to address the cause requiring more scrutiny and actual evidence it was 12-0 in my favor.”
Dutra confirmed that his protection workforce shall be submitting an attraction.
“While sexual assault is heinous, all allegations do not constitute the truth,” he wrote. “Legally the burden of proof isn’t on the defense. We provided ample amounts of evidence that the allegations were untrue. The burden of proof which rests on the plaintiff was not met in this case, which will lead us to file an appeal.”
Initially Printed: September 18, 2024 at 5:47 a.m.
