Pastor Convicted Of Raping His Grandchildren Awarded $2 Million For Beatings By Guards At NY’s Attica Prison

The Christian Post reports:

Roy Harriger, a 79-year-old New York pastor convicted of raping two of his grandchildren and allegedly sexually abusing his oldest son and his sister, can now collect $2 million from the state for beatings he received at Attica Correctional Facility.

Harriger was convicted of two out of three counts of course of sexual conduct against his grandchildren and sentenced in 2015 to 15 years in state prison. The disgraced pastor, who reportedly carried out the acts of abuse on his grandchildren in 2000 and 2001, sued the State of New York and won in 2019.

On Nov. 24, 2020, he was awarded $1.75 million for past pain and suffering and $250,000 for future pain and suffering. The state challenged the award. But on Friday, the state Appellate Division, Fourth Department of the New York Supreme Court unanimously affirmed the judgment.

The Daily News reports:

According to the 17-page decision, Harriger testified that corrections officers made sure he knew they were aware of the nature of his conviction during the 16-day period before the assault. He stated they led him to believe they wished he would kill himself, depriving him of food for 72 hours, giving him threatening notes, along with a razor and sheet to commit suicide with, according to court records.

Harriger — who walked with a cane — accompanied an officer to an office where he was offered protective custody by a sergeant. Harriger accepted, after which the escorting officer slammed his head against the wall and told him to hold the position for 15 minutes, according to the court decision. On the way back to his cell, he testified, the escorting officer hit him twice at the back of his neck, and he fell and lost consciousness.

In addition to his grandchildren, 12 others accused Harriger of child molestation. Watch the clip.