Kentucky bill could eliminate the statute of limitations for victims of sexual assault

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Lawmakers in Kentucky are pushing a bill that could eliminate the statute of limitations for victims of sexual assault to come forward.

One victim said this bill could open the door to justice.

Samantha Killary fought back tears in 2018 as she looked her abuser in the eye.

"I was sexually abused as a child by my adopted father, who was an LMPD officer for 20-plus years," she said.

Five years later, she's still fighting retired LMPD Lt. Sean Jackman. He's currently serving in a civil suit in court.

"Every day is a struggle for me," she said. "It took many years of therapy to get to where I am now."

House Bill 246 would eliminate the statute of limitations for victims of child sex abuse to file civil cases against their abusers.

"Kentucky is one of the most dangerous places to be a child," said Kentucky State Representative Lisa Willner, the Democrat who authored the bill. "It's one of the safest places to be a perpetrator."

Currently in Kentucky, the statute of limitations is capped at 10 years, but the interpretation of the law placed cases like Killary's in legal limbo.

"The amount of emotional stress that comes with making a decision to go public with something like this -- it would be such a load off of victim's shoulders," said Killary.

Jackman pleaded guilty after he was caught on a recorded phone call apologizing to his adopted daughter for molesting her for years.

That phone call included the following exchange:

KILLARY: I am so confused how we went from you trying to educate me to you performing oral sex on me.

JACKMAN: I told you I don’t have any type of logical lie.

He's serving a 15-year sentence for rape, sodomy and incest.

Killary's case is not unusual. Reports shows 90% of child sexual abuse is perpetrated by someone the child knows and once trusted, including teachers, family members, doctors, coaches and clergy.

"It's very unlikely, very unrealistic to expect that a child would disclose that -- or an adult would disclose that -- in 10 years," Willner said.

But Killary said she is not fully on board with this legislation. She's concerned about how it would automatically seal child sex abuse cases.

"That, to me, feels like it is silencing the victims," Willner said. "I wouldn't want my case sealed. I would want every single person to know what has happened to me."

Kentucky is one of 17 states considering amendments to statute of limitations laws, but Kentucky State Representative Willner is concerned this bill won't get traction.

But Killary said it's too important to fail.

"If this could happen to me in a police officer's home -- which should be even more safe than a regular home -- then it could happen to anyone," she said.