Holy Trinity Denies Everything Demands Trial by Jury, Orthodox Reform [Dallas], June 2, 2007

Holy Trinity Denies Everything; Demands Trial by Jury

Orthodox Reform [Dallas]
June 2, 2007

http://orthodoxreform.org/cases/fr-nicholas-katinas/ht-denies-everything/

The National Herald gives an update on the Fr. Katinas lawsuit:

Holy Trinity Church in Dallas, which is at the center of the pedophile scandal allegedly involving Rev. Nicholas Katinas, its former pastor of 28 years, has replied to the lawsuit launched by two of his alleged victims against the parish; the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Denver and Metropolitan Isaiah; the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and Archbishop Demetrios; and Father Katinas personally.

The parish, through its attorneys Douglas D. Fletcher and Richard G. Miller, has stated that "Defendant (Holy Trinity Church) denies each and every, and all singular, material allegations contained within Plaintiffs' pleadings and demand strict proof thereof."

Holy Trinity's reply also states that "Defendant hereby, in accordance with Rule 216 of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, demands a trial by jury. Simultaneously with the filing of this demand, a jury fee is being paid on behalf of this Defendant."

Responses from the other defendants are still unknown.

The Dallas parish community's reply was filed this past May 22.

It was not yet determined at press time whether the rest of the defendants had also filed similar replies.

So far, the defendants have not spoken to the press:

The National Herald left phone messages this past Monday, May 28 with the Law Offices of Mr. Fletcher, as well as with Holy Trinity Church and its current pastor, Rev. Christopher Constantinides, but those calls had not yet been returned by the time this edition of the Herald had goner to press.

No word how a blanket denial of all statements within the lawsuit can be reconciled with the clear statements from the Archdiocese indicating Fr. Katinas' guilt on at least one charge mentioned in the lawsuit:

The story of sex abuse allegations against Father Katinas first broke this past February, when Assistant Archdiocese Chancellor Rev. Michael Kontogiorgis paid a visit to the Dallas parish and told a hushed congregation of about 400, "There is no doubt that Father Nicholas engaged in serious moral transgressions," that he had been suspended due to accusations of child sex abuse in the "not too distant past," and that "the statements we heard were corroborated by the accuser's childhood friends who are now well-respected professionals in other parts of the country."