In an article published in the June 9, 2016, Statesboro Herald regarding former Statesboro City Councilman Will Britt being listed in a lawsuit as a defense witness, the story was unclear concerning Britt's standing. He is not accused of criminal conduct. The suit alleges he violated mandates for volunteers with the Boy Scouts of America.

Britt is mentioned by name in a lawsuit against the Boy Scouts of America and the Coastal Georgia Council Inc., filed March 3 in the Chatham County state court, but he is not an accused defendant.

The plaintiff is identified as "James A. Doe," a pseudonym for a young man, now 18, who was allegedly sexually assaulted numerous times by a man, Richard Merrey, a Boy Scout leader.

Merrey has since been convicted and sentenced; now this suit seeks "money damages against defendants" due to allegations that the group failed to protect Scouts from Merrey.

The suit claims that Tom Cardiff, Scout executive for the Coastal Georgia Council, was "ultimately responsible" for the Scouts' safety and employed other "professional Scouters," including Britt, "who were responsible for ensuring that chartering organizations and adult volunteer leaders exercised ordinary care to protect children under the care custody" by "following the BSA's Youth Protection Guidelines."

Britt is listed by name in the suit, with allegations that he failed to follow the mandated guidelines. According to the lawsuit, Britt, "acting within the course and scope of his employment as a professional Scouter, learned that a Scout's mother reported that Merrey had contacted her son and invited him to go on a trip alone with him."

Boy Scout mandates required Britt to "immediately report Merrey's conduct to Cardiff, the Scout executive," but "Britt did not confront Merrey about the accusation and did not report Merrey's conduct to Cardiff," the suit states.

Britt has declined to comment on the suit, citing advice from his attorney with the case being ongoing.

According to a source with knowledge of the case, Britt had no knowledge of and was not involved in a similar incident in which Merrey reportedly contacted an Ohio boy via social media and sent him inappropriate texts and messages.

The lawsuit also states that Merrey molested the victim, James A. Doe, during a February 2010 Scout trip to North Carolina, where the troop stayed at a cabin owned by Britt. According to the same source listed above, Britt was not present at the time and is not accused in the suit of any involvement in that incident.

The lawsuit lists several incidents in which Scout leaders are accused of taking improper safety and security measures but ultimately lays responsibility on the Boy Scouts of America and the Coastal Georgia Council.

Herald reporter Holli Deal Saxon may be reached at (912) 489-9414.