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	Judge Rules in Liberatore Lawsuit By Terrie Morgan-Besecker Times Leader March 19, 2007 http://www.timesleader.com/mld/timesleader/16935984.htm Scranton — A man who was sexually abused by a priest can seek punitive and other compensatory damages against the Diocese of Scranton, but he cannot recover under several other sections of a lawsuit he filed, a federal judge has ruled. U.S. District Judge A. Richard Caputo on Monday dismissed several counts of a lawsuit filed against the Diocese and former priest Albert Liberatore. But he rejected a Diocese request to dismiss the suit in its entirety, allowing several key counts to remain that will keep the case in federal court. The victim, identified only as John Doe, filed suit in 2004, alleging former Bishop James Timlin and several other Catholic Church officials were negligent for failing to protect him from Liberatore. Liberatore was charged in May 2004 with indecent assault and corruption of a minor in connection with the repeated abuse of the boy over a several-year period. The former priest pleaded guilty in 2005 in Luzerne County Court and was sentenced to five years probation. He also pleaded guilty to sodomy and other sexual assault charges in connection with abuse of the boy that occurred in New York City. In his ruling, Caputo said the victim had presented sufficient evidence to support his claim that Timlin and other church officials were negligent because they failed to heed clear signs that Liberatore was "grooming" the boy for a homosexual relationship. Contact: tmorgan@timesleader.com
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