Lawyers representing plaintiffs secure $140 million dollar default judgment against Michael Kelly for sexually abusing 14 former students

WILMINGTON (WWAY) — The Honorable Phyllis Gorham, Senior Resident Superior Court Judge of New Hanover County, awarded fourteen plaintiffs a judgment of over $140 million in New Hanover County Superior Court on Wednesday, November 9th.

The judgment follows an earlier settlement of $5.75 million with the New Hanover County Board of Education in June for its negligence in retaining and supervising Michael Kelly for more than two decades.

Kelly’s victims include former students of Isaac Bear Early College High School and Laney High School, who were identified as John Doe Plaintiffs in the litigation, which began in July of 2019.

Wednesday’s verdict includes $35,037,124.30 in compensatory damages and some $105,111,372.81 in punitive damages. The judgment will include interest from the date the complaint was filed, making the judgment already worth more than $150 million.