BishopAccountability.org
 
  Ruling Allows Lawsuit Based on Repressed Memories

Associated Press, carried in WMDT [Delaware]
May 25, 2007

http://www.wmdt.com/wires/displaystory.asp?id=61927218

A ruling by the Delaware State Supreme Court means a man can move forward with a lawsuit based on repressed memories of alleged sexual abuse by a principal at a Catholic high school.

Eric Eden claims his repressed memories of the alleged abuse in the 1970s and 1980s prevented him from bringing the case within the two-year civil statute of limitations. He claims he was abused by the Reverend James O'Neill while O'Neill was the principal at Salesianum School. Eden is suing O'Neill, the school and the diocese.

The issue was complicated by Eden's claim that he told his parents about some of the abuse in 1985. The high court agreed with a lower court decision that the abuse Eden reported to his parents was barred by the statute of limitations, but that more than 900 other incidents were not barred.

Defense attorneys say the case may yet be dismissed for a lack of evidence. The trial judge has set July deadlines for depositions and has set a trial date for October 2008

 
 

Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.