US appeals court: Child porn victim can sue adoptive father
Source: Associated Press
US appeals court: Child porn victim can sue adoptive father
Maryclaire Dale, Associated Press
Updated 5:45 pm, Tuesday, July 5, 2016
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A federal appeals court said Tuesday that a child pornography victim from Pennsylvania can sue her abuser for damages even though he paid $200,000 restitution in the criminal case.
The ruling overturned a lower court ruling involving a child victim known as "Internet Girl" because of images recorded and circulated online by her adoptive father.
Michael Mancuso had adopted the girl from Russia when she was five and abused her for about five years before the FBI arrested him. Mancuso, of Pittsburgh, is serving a 15-year federal sentence following his 2004 plea. He then has several lengthy state sentences to serve, his lawyer said.
Congress passed "Masha's Law" on the girl's behalf in 2006 allowing sex-abuse victims to seek at least $150,000 from anyone convicted of exploiting them. That includes people convicted of viewing their images.
Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/crime/article/US-appeals-court-Child-porn-victim-can-sue-8341985.php
