Court awards $26.8M to victim in child abuse case

NEW BOSTON – An East Texas court has awarded $26.8 million to a victim in a lawsuit against their convicted abuser according to our colleagues at KETK. A summary judgement was issued on Monday against Nolan Turner, 74 of Red Lick, who was convicted of continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14 in March 2020 and sentenced to 30 years in prison after he failed to appear in the case’s final hearing.

The court awarded the following compensatory damages to the victim against Turner:

$650 for medical expenses
$42,900 for future medical expenses
$500,000 for past physical pain and suffering
$500,000 for future physical pain and suffering
$5 million for past mental anguish
$5 million for future mental anguish

The court further found that Turner’s actions were conducted with actual malice and gross negligence, and awarded the victim $15.837 million in exemplary damages.
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According to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Turner has a listed parole eligibility date of March 2, 2050.

“This judgment represents more than just financial compensation; it signifies the closing of a painful chapter in the victim’s life,” Matthew Harris, the plaintiff’s attorney said in a statement. “This judgment brings closure, hope, and a powerful message to those who would commit such heinous acts: you will be held accountable and everything that you’ve spent your whole life building will be taken from you to compensate your victims.”