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  Abuse Victims OK Davenport Diocese Settlement

By Gregg Hennigan
The Gazette
April 26, 2008

http://www.gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080425/NEWS/916226945/1006/news

The $37 million settlement in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport's bankruptcy case has been overwhelmingly approved by alleged victims of sexual abuse by diocese priests, court records filed Thursday show.

Judge Lee Jackwig of U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Iowa still must OK the reorganization plan for it to take effect. A hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.

A total of 141 people who filed claims in the case saying they were sexually abused by priests voted in favor of the plan, versus only one vote against, according to court records. Attorneys from the diocese and those representing abuse victims had predicted widespread support.

"It's as good a deal that I think we're going to get at this point in time without more litigation," said Mike Uhde of Davenport, an abuse victim who is co-chairman of the committee representing victims in the case.

The diocese's small number of other creditors also approved the plan, which calls for a $37 million settlement and includes 17 non-monetary terms demanding the diocese acknowledge the abuse and take measures to prevent it from recurring.

The diocese filed for Ch. 11 bankruptcy protection in October 2006, saying it did not have enough money to settle claims alleging clergy sexual abuse over the past several decades.

If the plan is approved, most of the money will go to abuse victims. An arbitrator would decide on a case-by-case basis how much each person gets.

There have been 162 claims filed i by alleged abuse victims, although six came late and it's unclear whether they will be counted. Attorneys say a handful of claims likely will be challenged as illegitimate.

Jackwig has expressed concerns about the plan because it includes the diocese's 83 parishes. The parishes are incorporated separately from the diocese, causing Jackwig to ask whether they should "stand alone" in the case.

"I'm very optimistic given the overwhelming approval of the plan" by the creditors, diocese attorney Richard Davidson of Davenport said.

Uhde said the plan needs to be finalized soon so abuse victims can move on.

"The overwhelming sentiment from people wasn't, 'How much money will I be getting?' but, 'When is it all going to be over?'" he said.

n Contact the writer: (319) 339-3175 or gregg.hennigan@gazcomm.com

 
 

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