BOERNE — Two women have hired a civil attorney well-versed in gymnastics sexual-assault litigation in response to accusations made against former Boerne Gymnastics Center coach Michael Spiller.
The women have retained Dallas- based attorney Michelle Simpson Tuegel, who has represented a number of national team members and Olympians who were abused by 18-year U.S. gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar.
Nassar received several extended prison sentences ranging from 60 to 175 years across multiple jurisdictions and charges after more than 150 women spoke out against him.
Simpson Tuegel said she has experience representing many U.S. gymnastics clients in claims of sexual misconduct.
“We are sadly familiar with abuse in the sport of gymnastics,” Simpson Tuegel said. “It’s not something new to us. But I think that it makes it even more important that we keep fighting this. Some of these claims (related to Spiller) are older, but some of them are not. Which just means, I think, they were preventable.”
While two women have joined the civil suit so far, Simpson Tuegel said more plaintiffs are likely to come forward.
“I expect there will be (more). I’ve talked to a number of survivors,” Simpson Tuegel said.
The lawyer expects civil suits to be filed in both Kendall and Harris counties, depending on where the suspected assaults took place when the women were just children.
Although no litigation has been filed by Simpson Tuegel naming the Boerne Gymnastics Center, Spiller noted her previous litigation efforts involved investigation into clubs, organizations, owners, entities and any other parties responsible for ensuring the safety of minor gymnasts.
A notice from the center’s owner to families of gymnasts noted Spiller has not worked there since April; the owner also filed a report about Spiller with a national gymnastics regulatory agency.
While filing a report with a local sheriff’s office or police department isn’t required for any potential victims to become a co-plaintiff on a future civil case, Simpson Tuegel said reporting to law enforcement is encouraged.
Her office can help with the process, she added.
“We regularly assist survivors and facilitate their reporting to law enforcement,” Tuegel said. “We encourage it, of course, heavily encourage that they report to law enforcement, but it’s not required. If it is a much older case and they just want to get an understanding of what options they have, we do those calls free for survivors all over the place. And especially in this litigation because there’s probably a wide range of ages of people.”
Even if a potential victim wishes not to report their claims, the attorney said her office would still like to hear from them.
“What happened to them matters,” Simpson Tuegel added. “And we want to hear from them because it can give them some information about what their rights might be and also can help the other survivors if they’re willing to participate.”
Anyone interested in finding out more or seeking an attorney is encouraged to call the Simpson Tuegel Law Firm at 214-7749121 or to visit https://www.shewinslaw. com.
As first reported by the Star, Michael Spiller, 75, was arrested Nov. 18 on a charge of indecency with a child after a woman accused him of displaying his genitals and wrongfully touching her in 2001 and 2002 at a camp Spiller hosted at Boerne Gymnastics.
Last week, a Kendall County grand jury handed up an indictment in connection with the third-degree offense.
Spiller was released on a $150,000 bond from the Kendall County Jail the same morning, but promptly booked again after prosecutors arrested him on a second related charge based on the same victim’s outcry, officials said.
In that case, Spiller is also charged with indecency with a child and remains behind bars in lieu of posting an additional $100,000 bond.
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