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	Alaskan Attorney Reacts to Church Settlement By Jill Burke KTUU July 16, 2007 http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=6797946 Anchorage, Alaska -- A $660 million settlement between the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles and more than 500 alleged victims of clergy abuse has been approved by a California judge. It's the largest payout by any diocese since the clergy abuse scandal emerged five years ago. Channel 2 News was told the California cases are unrelated to any cases in Alaska in the sense that they do not share any victims or abusers. An attorney who is heavily involved in seeking justice for Alaska's victims of clergy abuse said the California settlement is a good sign about the church's overall approach to victims and to healing. Attorney Ken Roosa has represented dozens of victims of childhood sexual abuse who said their abuser was either a catholic priest or a deacon. "The Jesuits can well afford to fairly compensate Native Alaskans and other Alaskans who have been molested by priests and clerics," Roosa said. He said his work is far from over. "134 Alaskans still have cases pending against the diocese of Fairbanks and the Society of Jesus Oregon Province for childhood sexual abuse," Roosa said. In a 2005 interview, John Manley and Patrick McGuire, attorneys involved in the Orange County, California abuse cases, told Channel 2 News they thought Alaska was a dumping ground for problem priests. In the 2005 interview, Manley said the church was aware there was abuse. "They knew they had employees and priests that were in parishes and were serially raping children; little boys and little girls, and they did absolutely nothing except extremely effectively cover it up and that's the sad truth," Manley said. In a 2005 interview, McGuire said troubled priests were relocated to Alaska. "It's classic. It's just like religious orders do -- you send people that you have problems with to the missions, you dump them," McGuire said. Roosa said in the '60s, '70s and '80s, catholic clergy members were sexually abusing Alaska children at alarming rates. He says Alaska has the highest per capita clergy abuse rate in the nation. A case against former Alaska Priest, Rev. James Poole was settled last year for $1 million dollars. Cases against four other Alaska clergy members have also been settled. Roosa called the settlement reached between victims and the church in Los Angeles heartening. "I think it is a symbol of the church's gradual and final acceptance of their responsibility as an organization for the harm that was done," Roosa said. It is harm Roosa said no dollar amount can fully heal. But the settlement is an important part of taking responsibility for the pain each victim still suffers, he said. Channel 2 News did seek comment from the Anchorage and Fairbanks dioceses, as well as the Oregon Province of Jesuits to find out what they think about the California settlement and what it means for the cases here in Alaska. The people able to speak on any of the organizations' behalf were not immediately available for comment. About two years ago the bishop of the Fairbanks Catholic Diocese, which at the time faced more than 90 lawsuits, did offer an apology to victims of sexual abuse in an open letter carried in a local newspaper. It is not clear if Alaska victims will see the same compensation levels as those in California. One Alaska settlement with 5 victims totaled $1.5 million. Another with one victim was at the $1 million mark. Several others have settled confidentially, so the amounts are unknown. The Fairbanks Diocese has said in the past that the lawsuits could leave it bankrupt. Roosa said he certainly feels that the Jesuits and the Society of Jesus are wealthy and able to settle. Contact Jill Burke at jburke@ktuu.com
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