News Release: Third Lawsuit Filed Naming Children’s Theatre, Jason McLean

(Minneapolis, MN) – A third civil lawsuit was filed today on behalf of Doe 116 in Hennepin County District Court naming the Children’s Theatre Company and Jason McLean as defendants. McLean began sexually abusing Doe 116 in 1981 when she was a young teenager and continued to abuse her for several years. Throughout his tenure with Children’s Theatre, McLean worked as a company actor, staff member, and taught acting classes to students.

Today, Doe 116 has courageously filed a claim. She has also decided to publicly come forward so that the full truth of her story can be known. Her name is Melissa Beneke and her statement is attached.

“Because this courageous survivor has found her voice, she is speaking truth to power,” said attorney Jeff Anderson. “As a child, her truth was suppressed. We applaud her courage to make the full truth known today.”

This is the third lawsuit filed since early December 2015 naming Children’s Theatre and Jason McLean as defendants. The lawsuits were made possible due to the Child Victims Act passed by the Minnesota legislature which allows survivors of sexual abuse to file claims against their abusers and the institutions that protected the abusers. Survivors of sexual abuse must bring a claim by the May 25, 2016 deadline.