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  Abuse Settlement Terms to Be Advertised
Goal to Notify Alleged Victims in Covington Diocese Case

By Bruce Schreiner
Associated Press, carried in Lexington Herald-Leader [Kentucky]
July 21, 2005

A judge's written order yesterday gave plaintiffs' lawyers the go-ahead to advertise terms of a potential $120 million settlement between the Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington and alleged victims of sexual abuse.

Judge John W. Potter's order, issued in Boone County Circuit Court in Burlington, came in a class-action lawsuit accusing the Northern Kentucky diocese of a decades-long cover-up of sexual abuse by priests. The order formalized his preliminary approval of the proposed settlement.

"We're moving forward," plaintiffs' attorney Stan Chesley said.

Potter, a retired circuit court judge from Louisville, also agreed to expand potential plaintiffs to include those allegedly abused before 1956 or allegedly victimized by lay employees of the diocese.

"It's what both the plaintiffs and the defendants want, which is to be inclusive of everyone," Chesley said in a phone interview.

The diocese, spanning 14 counties with 89,000 parishioners, had no immediate comment.

A status conference in the case is set for Nov. 21, and a hearing is set for Jan. 9.

Calling the written order "a very important step," Chesley said public notice will begin with an ad Friday in USA Today, followed by ads in publications in a 57-county area.

Also planned are television and perhaps radio spots to reach out to potential plaintiffs, and the diocese will include notices in its own newspaper, Chesley said.

Beginning today, a toll-free line -- 1-888-609-4826 -- will provide information and forms for potential plaintiffs to fill out, Chesley said. The forms must be turned in to qualify to file a claim.

Chesley did not estimate how many people will come forward seeking claims.

The form asks victims to name their abusers as well as the dates and locations of the abuse.

The amounts paid out to plaintiffs will depend on the size of the settlement fund, the number and nature of claims and the severity of each victim's abuse.

The settlement would be the largest church sex abuse payout in the country if the full $120 million is paid.

A settlement last December with the diocese of Orange County, Calif., was $100 million. The Boston Archdiocese settled two cases in 2002 and 2003 for a total of $95 million. The Covington Diocese has far fewer parishioners than the Boston Archdiocese.

Two years ago, the Archdiocese of Louisville agreed to pay $25.7 million to 243 victims.

The Northern Kentucky case also covers some counties that were part of the Covington Diocese until 1988, when a new diocese in Lexington was formed.

Potter's preliminary approval meant that $40 million was immediately available from diocese assets.

The victims and the diocese are suing three insurance companies for the remaining $80 million. Attorneys for the plaintiffs and the diocese have said they hope to settle with the insurance companies without going to trial.

No priests are named as defendants in the suit.

Chesley said the written order yesterday was another step toward reaching a conclusion, and he praised the diocese and Bishop Roger Foys for their role.

"It's a very, very remarkable achievement which could not have been done without the full support of the bishop," Chesley said.

 
 

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