$102.5M judgment upheld for 2 sexually abused by San Jose music teacher

SAN JOSE, Calif. - A judge has upheld a $102.5 million dollar judgment for two women who were sexually abused when they were in middle school by a San Jose music teacher, according to the Mercury News.

Samuel Neipp, the former teacher at Dartmouth Middle School, is serving a 56-year prison sentence.

He pleaded no contest in 2019 to sexually exploiting two girls between 2009 and 2014.

A jury awarded the women the money in their civil lawsuit against the Union School District in San Jose.

Jane Doe 1 was awarded $65 million and Jane Doe 2, was awarded $37.5 million. 

Jurors found the district to be 80% liable for the abuse suffered by Doe 1, and 55% liable for Doe 2.

The verdict was of the largest school-neglect payouts in county history, the Mercury News reported. 

The district filed a motion for a new trial, saying the juror's findings were unfair and excessive.

But last week, Superior Court Judge Eric Geffon denied the district's motion.