Jury selection for the civil lawsuit involving the alleged bullying and sexual battery of a child by other students at Cedar Creek School in 2020 and 2021 is scheduled to begin today.

In September 2021, Michael and Nicole Conroy and their minor son filed suit against the Ruston private school, eight of the son’s classmates and their families, and members of the school staff.

The Conroy’s lawsuit claimed their son was severely bullied at Cedar Creek for eight months, including several instances of sexual battery with an object.

Prospective jurors were told to report at 9:00 a.m. this morning.

Little information on the case has been available since early 2022 when all court records were sealed. The suit is seeking unspecified reasonable damages from the defendants.

Ad hoc Judge Jimmie C. Peters is presiding over the civil case. All three local district judges recused themselves from the case to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest.

Current head of school at Cedar Creek, Cindy Hampton, is the wife of Third District Judge Bruce Hampton. She was not principal at the time of the alleged incidents.

Peters has reportedly blocked off three weeks of his schedule for the trial.

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