Victim sues Haidl for damages

Lawsuit names three convicted of assault, members of Haidl family, and Haidl’s defense attorney.A woman known as Jane Doe filed a civil lawsuit Thursday against three young men who were convicted of sexually assaulting her at a Corona del Mar house party in July 2002 when they were all minors.

Jane Doe is seeking damages, resulting from sexual assault and battery, from Greg Haidl, Kyle Nachreiner and Keith Spann. The three, who were convicted of sexual assault against Jane Doe while she was unconscious and who videotaped the incident, were tried as adults and convicted in March of multiple charges of sexual penetration by a foreign object. They were acquitted of rape charges. They are scheduled to be sentenced as adults Jan. 20.

The civil suit was filed Thursday because the statute of limitations expires next week, said attorney Sheldon Lodmer, who represents Jane Doe. None of the defendants had been served late Thursday, he said.

“We’re doing this [filing a civil suit] because it’s the only way under our system that a victim can be compensated,” Lodmer said.

The lawsuit also names Greg Haidl’s father and step-mother, Don and Kathleen Haidl, his mother, Gail Haidl, defense attorney Joseph Cavallo and defense investigators Shawn Smigel and John Warren.

The sexual assault left Jane Doe “physically and mentally distraught,” Lodmer said.

“She’s still upset,” Lodmer said.

The lawsuit alleges that members of the Haidl family and the defense team conspired to stalk Jane Doe, hid evidence of the sexual assault, spread information about her around her neighborhood and her school, and went through her trash.

Reached by telephone late Thursday, Cavallo said the lawsuit was not unexpected, although he had not seen it. He had harsh words for Lodmer and Jane Doe, whom he had aggressively questioned during her trial testimony.

“Trash is not her property -- trash is trash, just like his client,” Cavallo said. “What I did to Jane Doe in the criminal case was child’s play compared to what I can do to her in a civil case.”

Don Haidl, who is a former Orange County assistant sheriff, and his wife, Kathleen, are being sued for negligence and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

“This has been a heartbreaking situation for everyone. Any additional court action will continue to hurt a lot of people for years to come,” according to a prepared statement from Don Haidl, e-mailed to the Daily Pilot by a family spokesperson.