Law Firms
Newspaper Critical of Pillsbury’s Review of Molestation Case
Posted Nov 3, 2008, 12:38 pm CST
By Molly McDonough
The Los Angeles Times launched an investigation into an investigation to determine for itself whether there was wrongdoing when a man suspected of sexual misconduct was allowed to have contact with students.
The paper says that what it has found so far is that the investigation by Pillsbury, Winthrop, Shaw, Pittman didn't dig deep enough, according to a piece on the Times' The Homeroom blog that is part of a package of related stories and documents, including the firm's report (PDF) published by the Times. The Times obtained the 22-page confidential Pillsbury memorandum through a Public Records Act request.
The underlying case involves Steve Thomas Rooney, a former assistant principal in South Los Angeles who faces molestation-related charges involving four students. Rooney has, according to the Times, denied any wrongdoing.
The big question is how Rooney landed a job as an assistant principal at Markham Middle School in Watts after police warned school officials that Rooney was suspected of having a sexual relationship with an underage former student.
"The report has been used as the basis for imposing no apparent substantial discipline on any current district employee. But the report has obvious shortcomings," the Times asserts.
One flaw, according to the paper, is that the firm took at face value claims by staff that they didn't know Rooney was accused of sexual misconduct.