Phillip M. Bailey

@phillipmbailey

Attorney David Yates says he has interviewed three more former Explorer Scouts who allege they were abused by police officers in the youth program.

None of the three has filed a lawsuit or joined the suit filed March 8 by Yates' client identified as N.C., who alleges he was raped by Officer Brandon Wood and former Officer Kenneth Betts from ages 17 to 19 in the officer's homes and police cruisers.

Yates declined to reveal their names on Monday, although he said two of the three are men, and that no additional officers are implicated by their allegations besides Wood and Betts. He said he is representing at least two of the three new accusers.

"Even at this early stage in discovery, I have spoken with several witnesses and victims," Yates said.

In addition to Betts and Wood, N.C's suit names as defendants Louisville police Maj. Curtis Flaherty, who ran the Explorer program, as well as the city, the police department and the Boy Scouts of America, a partner in the program. The lawsuit also claims the allegations were covered up by the police.

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Mayor Greg Fischer suspended the Explorer program on March 13, a day after the Courier-Journal first reported the suit's details. The police department also has taken down the program's website as part of that temporary suspension.

The suit was filed under seal, but a hearing is set for Thursday on motions by the Courier-Journal and other parties to open it.

Yates, who also is president of the Metro Council, said one of the individuals he interviewed was the female Explorer with whom Betts was accused of having "improper contact" in 2013. Chief Steve Conrad closed an internal investigation of that allegation the next year when Betts resigned.

Betts' former beat partner, Ellasha Berry, said in an interview last week that Betts was accused of sending an inappropriate text message to the girl.

Reporter Phillip M. Bailey can be reached at 502-582-4475 or pbailey@courier-journal.com.