FRUIT HEIGHTS, Utah — It wasn’t until last year that Alan Bassett was put behind bars on child sex abuse charges dating back more than 35 years. Now, dozens of women are taking the stand against their alleged abuser.
“I’m here today because all of my childhood friends were on that stand, testifying against someone who abused them for years,” said Patrice Pederson.
Patrice Pederson sat among a packed courtroom who felt the pain of their young years living in Fruit Heights once again.
“What he did has devastated them and it devastated our neighborhood,” said fellow friend Kristy Sauter.
They each wore white, representing the purity of the victims, and how young and innocent they were. They watched as victim after victim relived childhood trauma in the Davis Justice Center on Friday.
“This was a man that had children, and these children were the ages of many of the kids in our neighborhood,” Sauter said. “These little girls would go over there for sleepovers, for play dates, for dance class…and despicable things would happen.”
These friends say the defense for Alan Bassett is asking to dismiss all of this because of a decades-old agreement signed by a past Davis County attorney.
“He is not to be prosecuted for any of his sexual activities - they gave him a free pass,” Pederson said. “Sexual activities - that’s how they described assaulting young girls.”
Pederson and Sauter say the justice system failed these women for all these years and they hope that won’t continue for anyone who’s suffered abuse.
“I think that if every Utahn could spend one day of their life in a court for witness after witness after witness of people that they loved,” said Pederson. “Not that I would wish that on them, but if they had to - the system would change”
Nine hours of court testimony wasn’t even enough time to fit in all those who’ve come forward. So, those friends tell me the next step will be another hearing for more of Bassett’s victims. They say the next court date has not yet been set.
