I found this out via a note sent to me by Kelley Davies Currin Lawyer this morning. Now it's the American Swimming Coaches Association's (ASCA) turn to ban him and pull his membership.
Here is a statement from the victim, Kelley Davies Currin:
"I am happy to hear that Rick Curl may finally be starting to accept responsibility for what he did to me. I can now only hope that USA Swimming will accept responsibility for refusing to ban Rick Curl when they had knowledge to do so."
Statement from Kelley Currin Davies attorney:
"... The decision on behalf of Mr. Curl to capitulate without a public hearing conclusively demonstrates that each and every one of the allegations that my client presented are completely 100% true and accurate. The fact that Mr. Curl has now been permanently banned from USA membership is only the first of what we hope are many steps, including imprisonment, which will be taken against him to ensure that justice is served for the heinous acts committed upon my client when she was just a child. Now, we proceed to the extent of the knowledge possessed by USA Swimming and why action was not taken earlier.
Indeed, in its statement that was issued by USA Swimming on September 18, 2012 concerning the Mark Schubert lawsuit recently filed in Orange County, CA, the organization saliently failed to deny, or even address, the allegations that its organization, particularly through its Executive Director Chuck Wielgus, had known about Mr. Curl's molestation of Ms. Currin for a number of years and failed to take any action whatsoever in response thereto.
Mr. Curl was the proverbial Jerry Sandusky within this organization and, similar to Penn State immediately moving to rid itself of those who knew and did nothing, we are not going to stop until the same is done at USA Swimming, starting with Mr. Wielgus and the man who has admitted to knowing all about Mr. Curl going back to the early 1990's and failed to take effective action to protect young swimmers - Vice President David Berkoff. ..."
Okay, "Sharon Stone" gets another one, well done, Susan Woesner!
[I forgot to add that I added in the muzzle flash to Sharon Stone;s pistol. Not great; it was rushed.]
13 comments:
This is a tough one.
Is Allard going after Currin's parents, as well as USA Swimming, for knowing and not doing anything?
They had the proof of alleged wrong doing. Just because Curl accepted the ban does not mean that everything Allard is alleging is true. Nobody will ever know what actually went on in the Currin's home where much of the abuse is alleged to have happened while her parents were home.
Really? You are actually going there?
You have posted before! Are you USA Swimming's lawyer or something?
Being that USA Swimming only acts as the flashing blue lights recede into the distance, I think the Sharon Stone pictures are out of line.
A better image for Susan Woessner would be a picture of seagull. You have to pretty well kick it to get it to move.
Woessner is a joke.
No - I know USA Swimming has a long way to go.
In my opinion, Robert Allard seems like the male version of Gloria Allred whom I despise.
In my opinion, his press releases are arrogant and I believe are full of inaccuracies.
I don't know Berkoff, but as a twenty something year old who heard rumors - what was he suppose to do? In the Penn State case, sexual abuse was witnessed by a third party.
It seems to me that Allard does have an agenda to get rid of specific people even though others were holding on to the alleged proof.
Having said that, I hope this ban helps in the healing process of Ms. Currin.
My opinion may not be popular, but it is my opinion.
What was Berkoff suppose to do when he heard a accusation of sexual abuse that he believed utterly and completely? (What would you do?) I myself would call the police or report it to the club to deal with. I would have done that as teenager as well and I believe you would too
In the Penn State case it was witnessed but it wasn't witnessed by Paeterno and look what happened to him.
Don't forget there was that email where the Executive Director stated "Let's keep this email; [regarding a report of sexual abuse], between you and me. There were witnesses there too.
That to me is a reasonable fact to want to retire that executive director or make this personal if you are representing a client.
Your mileage may vary.
I believe it is a reasonable question to ask what her parents were thinking for 3 years (1986-1989)to keep them from calling the police. That is a long time to sit on and think about your daughter being raped and not do anything about. Just saying... They are very quiet in all of this. I wonder if it does go to trial they will be asked to testify.
Don't forget there was that email where the Executive Director [Wielgus] stated;
"Let's keep this email; [regarding a report of sexual abuse], between you and me. (Referring to the Katie Kelly emails)
Tony,
I actually sent an affidavit from a victim on Feb 25, 2003 within thirty days of the Katie Kelly emails in which Wielgus and friends had devised a means to suppress sexual abuse cases.
It was not until 2010 when the Kelly emails became public that I realized USA Swimming suppressed anything regarding investigation of this coach.
That coach is no longer a USA Swimming member and is on the hidden “Flagged List”.
He should be on the “Banned For Life” list.
I believe the “Flagged List” contains significantly more predator coaches.
I caught this coach falsifying meet databases and was provided a victim’s affidavit shortly thereafter in my mailbox.
It horrified me once I verified the affidavit was genuine.
What scared me the most is that I had entrusted MY daughter with this same coach on many team away trips. I later find out USA Swimming had known about this coach years before in the late 80’s and did nothing. He had been banned in Michigan and moved down south before resettling in the Midwest.
Though the statute of limitations had run out for a criminal conviction against this coach.
I could not rest knowing the facts of this coach’s predatory past.
USA Swimming has a responsibility to follow-up and ban this coach, but there investigation and review process is a dismal joke.
I will not give up until he is on the banned list.
Emails sent regarding predation to USA Swimming in Feb 2003
-----------------------------------------------------
From: John Morse
Sent: 02/25/2003 11:20 AM
To: 'Jeff Chida'
Cc: Chuck Wielgus; Wells O'Brien; John Leonard; Teresa Felmlee
Subject: RE: [Victim’s] Statement
Mr. Chida:
Your message and the sworn statement of [the Victim] were received and have been referred to outside counsel for appropriate action.
John Morse
National Board of Review Chair
(316) 681-5106 (Office)
(316) 681-5157 (Fax)
(316) 684-5083 (Home)
-----Original Message-----
From: Jeff Chida
Sent: Tuesday, February 25, 2003 10:48 AM
To: John Morse
Cc: Chuck Wielgus; Wells O'Brien; John Leonard; Teresa Felmlee
Subject: FW: [Victim’s] Statement
Importance: High
Mr. Morse,
I am tired of playing games especially when they can potentially victimize children.
Please confirm for me you can read the attachment provided.
We need to discuss issues about this attachment before I proceed.
The times issue is immaterial to the future potential of children's lives being harmed.
Please Sir, I am having very hard time trying to resolve the ethical issues of conscience about this and what has transpired to date.
[…]
I have so much more than the times issue.
Best Regards,
Jeff Chida
Does anyone have any idea what happened with this story? http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/20/AR2010042004866.html
Nothing in two and a half years.... Private settlement?
Oh Gawg! - pandemic isn't it?
Seriously. Her parents knew and had accepted a silence settlement and Berkoff is supposed to go to the police after all of this has happened. Tony, I think you're on a witch hunt. We need to get the offenders out and keep the people who are pushing for change in. Clearly you have never met Dave. I swam with him and have known him into adulthood. He is incredibly moral and passionate about making positive changes in USA swimming. I will not visit your site again- you clearly have an agenda and too much time on your hands.
Well, when a "damsel was in distress", Nice guy Dave did nothing, called nobody, but used that sad, sad situation to secure a board member position at USA Swimming.
When he was running for that board member slot and promising real change, I endorsed him and published his manifesto to this blog but once he got to Colorado Springs and drank their water; (yeah, that's my anonymous quote to WBAL), he suddenly saw all the wrongs at USA Swimming suddenly turn "right."
Morally, you are backing the wrong horse and in fact you just made me realize something. His infamous email went out to Mike Saltzstein on July 26, 2010. He was elected when, 2010? YES!
Ergo, USA Swimming probably knew about Kelley much earlier than we all thought.
In this twisted situation, remember, it takes two to tango. Just to be clear, the two we speak of in this dance are blogger and board member, as in, Tony and Dave B.
I love you both, from a distance, of course.
Thank goodness for you both. Fight on. Fight hard. Fight in the open. Drag others into the fray, in open ways, as it moves into the future.
Too many of the others are and have been too quiet, too inactive, too fear driven, too doubtful.
Counter attack at will. Make measured responses. Be bold.
The parents failed us all, for sure. I wonder about the AD at the Univ of Maryland. There are plenty of turns to take on this and the other dealings in our sport.
It is great to have willing debate participants.
That was quite an aggressive comment. I disagree with you immensely but I won't censor you.
Tony
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