Spokane Judge To Hear Sex Ring Suit

The Washington Supreme Court has assigned a Spokane judge to hear the massive civil rights lawsuit filed by defendants in the Wenatchee sex ring case.

Spokane County Superior Court Judge Michael Donohue will preside over the suit filed by people who were prosecuted and then acquitted of having sexually abused children.

The suit was filed in August by Pastor Robert Roberson, his wife Connie, and several others in Chelan and Douglas counties.

Donohue is taking over because two of Chelan County’s Superior Court judges have removed themselves from the case. The third has been asked to file an affidavit on behalf of one of the plaintiffs.

The suit seeks millions of dollars in damages from the city of Wenatchee, Chelan and Douglas counties, and Wenatchee police Detective Robert Perez, who headed many of the child-abuse investigations.

No trial date has been set. Last December, a jury acquitted the Robersons of 14 counts of child rape and molestation.

Among those joining the Robersons in the civil suit are Honnah Sims and Donna Rodriguez. Sims was acquitted of child abuse, and the charge against Rodriguez, accusing her of sexually abusing her daughter, was dismissed.

, DataTimes