A Bossier Parish jury has awarded more than $1.1 billion in damages to a woman who alleged she was sexually abused for years by her late stepfather, resulting in what her attorney says is the largest person-to-person civil verdict in Louisiana history.
The verdict was returned June 9 following a two-day trial in the 26th Judicial District Court in Benton.
Pamela Lockridge, 68, who grew up in Bossier City, filed the lawsuit against the estate of her stepfather, Leroy Edwards, alleging she endured sexual abuse from 1962 until 1976. Edwards died in 2023 and was never criminally charged in connection with the allegations.
Representing Lockridge was Bossier attorney Ryan Gatti, who argued the case under Louisiana’s Child Sexual Abuse Look Back Law, legislation that allows survivors of childhood sexual abuse to pursue civil claims that may have otherwise been barred by statutes of limitation.
Jurors awarded Lockridge $500 million for pain and suffering, $585,000 for past and future medical and psychological expenses, and $600 million in exemplary damages, bringing the total award to $1,100,585,000.
The jury deliberated for approximately two hours before reaching its decision.
“For most of my life, I carried this abuse in silence,” Lockridge said following the verdict. “What happened to me as a child affected every stage of my life. It affected my relationships, my sense of safety, my ability to trust, and my family.”
According to court testimony, the abuse began when Lockridge was four years old and continued for 14 years. More than six decades passed between the beginning of the alleged abuse and the jury’s verdict.
The case became possible because of Louisiana’s Child Sexual Abuse Look Back Law, enacted in 2021 and later upheld by the courts, which temporarily opened a legal window for survivors to seek civil justice regardless of how much time has passed since the abuse occurred.
Gatti said the verdict sends a message about accountability and the importance of protecting children.
“This case is about the next child, the next family, and the next predator,” said Gatti. “Criminal accountability does not always occur. Civil justice remains an important means of accountability and deterrence. The jury’s verdict sends a message that children matter and that those who exploit them can be held responsible, even decades later.”
During the trial, jurors heard testimony from Detective Debra McKay, counselor Leesa Sitter, psychiatrist Dr. Patrick Hayes and Lockridge’s husband of 43 years about the long-term emotional, psychological and physical effects of childhood sexual abuse.
According to Gatti, the verdict is believed to be the largest sexual abuse verdict, the largest punitive damages award and the largest person-to-person civil jury verdict in Louisiana history.
Lockridge said the case was never about the money awarded by the jury.
“They gave me something I never thought I would receive—a chance to tell the truth and have it believed,” Lockridge said. “I hope this verdict encourages other survivors to know that they are not alone, that what happened to them matters, and that their voices still have value no matter how many years have passed. For the first time in a very long time, I feel that justice has finally spoken.”
Gatti said the case demonstrates why lawmakers created the Look Back Law and noted that the opportunity for survivors to file claims under the legislation is scheduled to expire on June 14, 2027.
“We encourage those who have experienced sexual abuse to discuss with a trusted counselor, attorney, pastor, or support professional, whether this law may help provide closure and accountability,” Gatti said.
The verdict has drawn attention throughout Louisiana’s legal community because of its historic size and its potential impact on future cases brought under the state’s Child Sexual Abuse Look Back Law.
Gatti was joined on Lockridge’s legal team by Dr. Susan Gatti, Stephen Cox, Stefanie Phillips, Nikolas Roudkovski, Josee Gatti, Emily Merckle and numerous family members and supporters who assisted throughout the litigation.