BishopAccountability.org
	Bishop Pilla Questioned in Court over Sex Abuse Questions By Dave Summers WKYC [Cleveland OH] July 19, 2005 CLEVELAND -- The court ordered Bishop Anthony Pilla to report to the Justice Center to answer questions about what he knew of sexual abuse cases in the Cleveland Diocese. The deposition focuses on what Pilla knew about claims of abuse 21 years ago at a Kirtland church. A former priest at Divine Word Church was accused of molesting 14-year-old Christopher Kodger The Cleveland Catholic Diocese and Pilla are being sued for the truth of what was known and what was done about Father James Mulica (pictured). The suit wants to know was this complaint swept under the rug and Mulica reassigned by church administrators? Tuesday, such questions were put to Pilla. Pilla seemed calm and collected for a staged photo opportunity outside a common pleas courtroom. Inside, it may not have been so comfortable. "Bishop Pilla admitted this morning that he knew about every allegation of sexual abuse," Billy Crosby, the plaintiff's attorney, says. And to Crosby, that means Pilla conspired to keep such abuse claims secret and the accused priest relocated. "We want him to come clean," Crosby says. Pilla was subpoenaed to appear for an on the record and under oath deposition. He was to report Tuesday to the Justice Center for questioning before Judge Janet Burnside. Pilla managed to get under the radar and inside the Justice Center without the media knowing around 8:30 Tuesday morning he came through a secured area of the judges' evaluators. The lawsuit contends that Pilla and the church lied when they denied they were moving priests around to cover up alleged sex abuse and that in the process of those denials they also defamed Kodger. "The court has already found that they defamed the Kodgers' so this is about damages," Crosby says. Also part of this case is Kodger's claim that Mulica of Divine Word Church molested him two decades ago. That Mulica went to therapy, and was later reassigned to another parish. This kind of alleged cover-up led to the resignation of Cardinal Bernard Law three years ago from the scandal-plagued Boston Arch Diocese. "Any bishop that countenanced this behavior from a priest, and then allowed that priest more prey must go," Kodger says. "Period that's it." The plaintiff's attorney says he'll start with the truth. "They want the bishop, the bishop to finally come out and tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth," Crosby says. Reportedly, Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Bill Mason investigated 145 priests. Only seven were cleared. The rest could not be prosecuted because complaints were beyond the six-year statutory limit. Crosby says Pilla shuffled around 14 priests. The bishop's deposition wrapped up around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday. Burnside says the parties left it opened ended, there could be more questions later but they're done for now.
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