Press Release: Breck School to Court; Throw Out Fraud Case on Statute of Limitations Grounds

Breck School to Court; Throw Out Fraud Case on Statute of Limitations Grounds

(St. Paul,MN) In response to Plaintiff Richard Covin’s lawsuit against Breck School for allowing him to be sexually abused by a known sex offender, the school has moved to throw out Plaintiff’s lawsuit on the grounds that his case is beyond the statute of limitations.

Plaintiff Richard Covin was a student at Breck School from grades seven through nine in 1972 to 1975, where Jacobs was his science and outdoor recreation teacher.

Earlier this year Covin, who now resides in Wisconsin, filed a lawsuit alleging fraud against Breck School, because administrators at the exclusive private school knew Jacobs had sexually abused other children, yet it continued to employ Jacobs and represent that he was safe around children even though the school knew of his previous sexual misconduct.

From 1973 to 1975 when Covin was 12 to15 years-old, Jacobs sexually abused him on numerous occasions.   Before working at Breck, Jacobs worked at YMCA camps and Blake School.  In both places, he abused children and officials learned about the abuse.  After Jacobs was fired from Blake, he was hired at Breck.  While at Breck, Jacobs sexually abused another student in 1974, and the student reported the abuse to the school officials including headmaster John Littleford.  Jacobs continued to be employed at Breck after this report and continued to abuse Plaintiff.  At least 17 other boys have reported being sexually abused by Jacobs while he was with the YMCA camps, the Blake School and Breck School.

Hennepin County District Judge William R. Howard will hear arguments from both parties regarding the motion to dismiss on Friday, August 17, 2012 at 8:30 A.M. at the Hennepin County Government Center.

Jacobs was recently sentenced to 18 years in prison for sexually abusing three boys.

Contact: 

Attorney Jeff Anderson /St. Paul Office
Toll Free 888.567.5557 Mobile 612.817.8665