A New York jury has awarded $11.3 million to a former player in Riverside Church’s youth basketball program who was sexually abused as a teenager by the program’s longtime director, Ernest “Ernie” Lorch. PCVA represented the survivor, who is identified in court papers by his initials, J.M.
The six-member jury in New York State Supreme Court in Manhattan deliberated for nearly five hours on October 7, 2026. It found that Riverside Church acted recklessly and was responsible for the abuse, and it awarded J.M. $7.5 million for past pain and suffering and $3.8 million for future damages.
What the Jury Heard
J.M. testified that Lorch sexually abused him repeatedly in the spring of 1978, when he was 14 years old and growing up in the Bronx. Lorch was a wealthy corporate attorney who also served as a deacon and board member at the church. He ran Riverside’s sports programs from 1961 until 2002 and died in 2012.
Nine other men testified that Lorch abused them as boys. Their testimony was offered to show a pattern of abuse that Riverside knew or should have known about. Many of the children in the program came from low-income Black and Latino families. The plaintiffs contend that the church did not supervise Lorch because of his money, his influence within the church, and the prestige his teams brought.
In closing arguments, PCVA attorney Lucas Franken told jurors, “There was no supervision. There was no oversight.”
Riverside's Defense
Riverside argued that it never knew about the abuse and that responsibility rested with Lorch alone. It also argued that standards in the 1960s and 1970s did not require the training or reporting expected of institutions today. The church pointed to J.M.’s professional success as evidence that he had not suffered lasting harm.
J.M.’s attorneys countered, supported by expert testimony, that a survivor can appear outwardly successful while privately carrying the effects of abuse for decades. They argued that a survivor’s resilience does not erase an institution’s responsibility. The jury agreed.
A Long Road to Court
J.M. filed his lawsuit in 2019 under New York’s Child Victims Act. The law opened a temporary window for survivors of childhood sexual abuse to bring claims that the statute of limitations had long blocked. He is one of 27 people who have sued Riverside over Lorch’s abuse.
This was the second Riverside case to go before a jury. The first, brought by former player Daryl Powell, settled in January before jurors began deliberating. Many of the remaining cases are still pending.
Lucas said that after waiting decades to tell his story, J.M. feels a deep sense of validation, and that jurors told the trial team they found him credible.
Contact Us
If you were abused as a child by someone in a position of trust, whether at a church, school, or youth sports program, our attorneys can review your situation in a free, confidential consultation and explain what the law allows.
If you have information about Ernest Lorch or Riverside Church’s sports programs, we want to hear from you.
Contact PCVA or call (646) 480-0848.
Source: Rolling Stone