At least 10 teenage girls were raped or sexually assaulted by Richard Alexander Turner, an athletic trainer at Van Nuys High School and Birmingham Community Charter High School in Los Angeles.
What You Can Do & How We Can Help
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting LA Unified School Sexual Assault induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been assaulted or raped by Richard Alexander Turner, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Sexual Abuse Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
What is the problem?
In September 2022, Richard Alexander Turner, 64, was charged with sexually assaulting 10 female students at two Los Angeles high schools where he had worked as an athletic trainer since 2017, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Los Angeles High School Trainer Charged With Sexually Assaulting 10 Teenage Girls
What Did He Do?
Turner was charged with 18 counts of forcible rape, sexual battery, sexual penetration of an unconscious person, forcible oral copulation, sexual penetration by use of force, against teenage girls between 2017 and 2022, according to the criminal complaint.
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón said, “The unconsciousness in this particular case really refers to the fact that they may not have immediately been aware that they were being sexually molested. There have been some cases where force was used as well.”
Where Did He Work?
Turner was an athletic trainer at Van Nuys High School and Birmingham Community Charter High School in Los Angeles between 2017 and 2022. He is accused of assaulting student-athletes who were seeking rehabilitation and recovery from sports injuries.
Both of these high schools are affiliated with the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD).
What Happened?
On September 19, 2022, a female student at Birmingham told a school official that Turner had touched her inappropriately when she was seeking treatment for a sports injury. The school contacted police.
Detectives unearthed a crime report from 2017 in which another student reported that Turner inappropriately touched her after she had an injury while practicing basketball at Van Nuys.
On September 20, Turner was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault, according to Los Angeles Police Dept. Capt. Jeff Bratcher.
LAPD Asks Other Victims to Come Forward
Police released Turner’s name and asked for other victims to come forward. Over the next few days, 9 other girls contacted police. Turner has been accused of sexual abuse ranging from 2017 through 2022.
The victims are all females ranging in age from 15 to 17 years old who were receiving “treatment” for sports injuries. Some of the victims said Turner became violent. Others did not immediately realize they had been assaulted. Some assaults also occurred outside of the schools.
Turner Reported to Police in 2017 for Inappropriate Touching, But Kept Working at LA Schools
Police said that another student at Van Nuys High School reported Turner to police in 2017, but he was never charged due to a lack of evidence. School officials were notified of the allegations, but Turner was allowed to keep working for LAUSD schools for another 5 years.
The case against Turner is sure to raise questions about why school officials allowed him to keep working. Survivors of Turner’s sexual assault may qualify to file a lawsuit against the school district for failing to protect them from a violent sexual predator.
Do I have a Sexual Assault Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting LA Unified School Sexual Assault induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been assaulted or raped by Richard Alexander Turner, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Sexual Abuse Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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