BishopAccountability.org
	Priest Abuse Case Resolved By Ben Manning WTAJ April 16, 2008 http://wearecentralpa.com/content/fulltext/?cid=6436 The Altoona Johnstown Catholic Diocese announces it will not appeal a Superior Court ruling and they've paid the interest that's been at the center of a priest abuse controversy dating back two decades. The case surrounding the former Reverend Francis Luddy was first filed in Blair County Courts back in 1987. Luddy was found guilty in a civil suit of molesting a former alter boy who was an adult by the time the lawsuit was filed. Michael Hutchison was awarded $500,000 in compensatory damages, and the Diocese was ordered to pay another million dollars in punitive damages, because of the way the abuse was covered up and not addressed. The $500,000 was paid a long time ago. The million dollar award was tied up in courts for about a decade. The Diocese finally paid the damages in 2006. But how much interest the diocese should pay was in discussion for about a year. Hutchison's lawyer said the interest should date back to the original ruling. The lawyer for the Dioceses said the interest should not have started to accumulate until after the final appeal was settled. Tuesday the Diocese paid all of the interest due from the date of the original verdict in 1994. Hutchison's attorney says the family is glad the battle is finally over. He says the diocese should be commended for taking steps to prevent children from abuse, but more needs to be done including greater accountability and taking steps to prevent cover-ups.
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