On the evening of January 26, 2023, a federal jury in the United States Court for the District of Maine awarded Gideon Asen’s client, Julia Russell, $4.5 million in a closely watched child sex abuse case. Gideon Asen’s clients have been awarded a combined $10 million by Maine juries in the past four months.

During the trial, Julia Russell, now 36, testified that the defendant had sexually abused her while she was a young child. At the time, the defendant was a close family friend of the Russell family, and was living in Biddeford Pool. As a result of Ms. Russell bringing this case, two other women came forward with similar allegations against the defendant. These women also testified at trial. The defendant took the witness stand and denied the charges at trial. In addition, his attorneys called a forensic psychologist, who testified that, even if she was sexually abused by the defendant, Ms. Russell was not severely emotionally impacted by the abuse. The defendant’s expert had not personally evaluated Ms. Russell, and conceded on cross-examination that he was unable to point her out in the courtroom.

During his closing argument, Taylor Asen reminded the jury that it “…had the power to do something that Julia Russell cannot do by herself: the power to hold [the defendant] accountable.” Meryl Poulin, who tried the case with Asen, told the Portland Press Herald after the verdict, “The most empowering thing that you can tell a survivor of sexual abuse is that you believe them. And that’s what this jury did.”

Read more about the case here: https://www.pressherald.com/2023/01/26/biddeford-pool-childhood-abuse-case-now-in-hands-of-jury/

Our team is here for you. Do not hesitate to contact Gideon Asen LLC if you are in need of skilled representation in a sexual abuse case.