A northwest Louisiana jury has awarded $1.1 billion in damages to a woman who sued over childhood sexual abuse by her late stepfather in the 1960s and 1970s. The plaintiff, Pamela Lockridge, said the verdict sends a message that children are precious and deserve protection.
Landmark Verdict Under Lookback Law
The case was tried under Louisiana's so-called 'lookback law,' passed in 2021 and upheld as constitutional in 2024. The law temporarily eliminated filing deadlines for child molestation lawsuits, allowing survivors like Lockridge to seek damages even decades after the abuse.
Lockridge's attorney, Ryan Gatti, said neither he nor his client expected to collect the full award from the abuser's estate, but the verdict sends a strong deterrent message. Gatti stated that the verdict made it too expensive to come to Louisiana and abuse a child.
Details of the Abuse
Jurors in Bossier Parish found that Leroy Edwards subjected Lockridge to criminal sexual molestation for 14 years, starting in 1962 when she was four. Edwards, her mother's second husband, threatened to kill her if she reported the abuse. Lockridge, now an ICU nurse, eventually sought mental health counseling, and Edwards responded with a restraining order in 2011. He admitted to the sheriff's department that he molested her, but too much time had passed for criminal prosecution.
Legal Journey
Lockridge sued Edwards in 2012, but the case was dismissed due to expired filing deadlines. After Louisiana's lookback law passed, she refiled against Edwards's estate after his death in 2023. The two-day trial included testimony from a sheriff's detective, mental health professionals, and Lockridge's husband. Jurors deliberated for two hours before awarding $500 million for pain and suffering, $600 million in punitive damages, and $585,000 for medical expenses.
Previous Case Under Lookback Law
In the first case tried under the law, a federal jury in New Orleans ordered the Holy Cross Catholic religious order to pay $2.4 million to a man abused in the late 1960s.
Gatti, a former state legislator, said Lockridge's case was his first trial in 26 years. He asked jurors to send messages that survivors deserve to be heard and that time does not erase accountability. Lockridge said she feels justice has finally spoken and hopes the verdict protects children and families.
