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  Attorneys Question San Diego Diocese School Construction

NBC Sandiego
March 7, 2007

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/11197427/detail.html

San Diego — Attorneys representing more than 140 people who say they were sexually abused by priests raised questions Wednesday about a $60 million high school under construction by the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego.

The lawyers are critical of the church for embarking on the expansion project in 2005 after settlement negotiations were already under way with the alleged abuse victims.

No settlement has been reached in any of the cases. The diocese filed for bankruptcy last week, hours before the first civil suit was set to begin.

The diocese said bankruptcy would help pay victims of sex abuse for their damages, but protestors claim the church's real motive was to avoid public trials and testimony by alleged victims.

In a court hearing on Wednesday, plaintiffs' attorneys asked Judge Louise DeCarl Adler not to release funds to the diocese for its new Mater Dei high school campus until more information is provided about how the project will affect the amount of money available to compensate abuse victims.

Lawyers for the diocese are asking for the money to be released immediately so that construction can be completed on schedule. The new campus is slated to open next fall and is already accepting enrollment.

A hearing on the issue is set for Thursday morning in downtown San Diego.

 
 

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