Gag order approved in lawsuit accusing Bishop Luers High School of child exploitation cover-up

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WPTA) - A judge has approved a gag order proposed by attorneys in a lawsuit alleging a child exploitation cover-up at Bishop Luers High School.

BACKGROUND: Lawsuit filed against Fort Wayne-South Bend Diocese, Bishop Luers alleges child exploitation cover-up| Attorneys submit proposed gag order in lawsuit alleging child exploitation cover-up at Bishop Luers High School |Story continues under previous coverage

The lawsuit involves several parties, including the school itself, Fort Wayne-South Bend Diocese, and Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Indianapolis, as well as multiple current and former employees of the school.

Nine young women and their families brought the lawsuit forward. They say the school was negligent in its handling of male students creating and selling video montages and digital folders with female Bishop Luers students’ names displayed over “explicit pornographic” videos and photos.

The male students, who are not named in the lawsuit, used images of people “whose general appearance, including hair color and length, body type, skin tone and other features resembled” minor female students at Bishop Luers, according to the lawsuit.

ALSO: Bishop Luers doubles down on request to publicly name women suing school | Plaintiffs pushing back against move to reveal their identities in lawsuit alleging child exploitation cover-up

The rules outlined in the proposal bar anyone involved in the case, such as the attorneys, plaintiffs and defendants, and those assisting the parties, from making any public comments on the case, to the news media or otherwise, until the conclusion of the case.

A “neutral case summary for public dissemination” would be allowed under the agreement if directed or issued by the judge in the case, Judge Andrew Williams.

Changes can be made if necessary, and the judge may issue orders to “protect the fair and orderly administration of justice, including during jury selection and trial.”

The next hearing in the case is set for March.

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