Former Beverly Hills High School student Laurie Siegman was abused by a former teacher in the late 1970s. (photo by Tabor Brewster)

The Beverly Hills Unified School District must pay $9.6 million to a former student who was sexually abused by a teacher between 1978 and 1981, a jury ruled on Nov. 26. 

Laurie Siegman filed a lawsuit against former Beverly Hills High School teacher and baseball coach Henry “Hank” Friedman and the Beverly Hills Unified School District in 2020 alleging that Friedman sexually abused her and that BHUSD knew that Friedman was unfit to be employed at the time. 

Friedman and the BHUSD admitted in the trial that Friedman molested Siegman when she was between 15 and 18 years old. However, the district argued that it did not know at the time that Friedman posed a threat to students. Several of Friedman’s other alleged victims also testified during the trial. In addition to the BHUSD, the jury agreed that Friedman must pay $6.4 million to Siegman, for a total of $16 million in damages awarded to Siegman. 

“I am profoundly grateful to the victims and witnesses who had the courage to share their stories during my trial,” Siegman said in a statement. “After all these years, having the truth acknowledged means more than I can express. I am also thankful for the incredible legal team that stood by me and fought tirelessly on my behalf.” 

Siegman was represented by attorneys Stephen Weisskopf of Levato Law and David Gammill of Gammill Law. 

“We are incredibly happy for Laurie. This verdict delivers justice and recognizes the profound harm she suffered and continues to suffer,” Weisskopf and Gammill said in a statement. “We are deeply grateful for the jury’s careful consideration and proud of our team’s commitment to ensuring her truth was heard. We also hope this verdict sends a clear message, one that deters future perpetrators and pushes school districts to do more to protect the children in their care.” 

The BHUSD responded to the verdict in a statement. 

“This case involves allegations dating back more than 45 years,” the statement read. “District counsel is reviewing all legal options, including a potential appeal. Importantly, our superintendent, with the support of the board, located insurance policies from the 1970s that previous administrations were unable to find. As a result, the Beverly Hills community will likely not bear the financial impact of this matter. While we respect the legal process and all parties involved, our focus remains on moving forward and continuing to create safe, supportive learning environments for every student.” 

The lawsuit against Friedman and BHUSD was filed in 2020 after the passing of California Assembly Bill 218, a 2019 bill that temporarily allowed the filing of civil lawsuits that involved childhood sexual assault claims that would otherwise exceed the 10-year statute of limitations. The bill took effect on Jan. 1, 2020, and expired on Dec. 31, 2022, allowing victims to file claims during a three-year window. 

In April 2024, a mistrial was declared in the lawsuit as jurors could not agree whether BHUSD knew at the time that Friedman was unfit to be employed. However, after the lawsuit returned to court this year, jurors unanimously agreed that BHUSD was responsible for 60% of the harm suffered by Siegman, and Friedman was responsible for 40%, resulting in the damages awarded.