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  Settlement Reached in Priest Sex Abuse Lawsuit

WPTZ
May 13, 2010

http://www.wptz.com/news/23543004/detail.html

BURLINGTON, Vt. --

Twenty-six people suing Vermont's Roman Catholic Diocese are going to share a $17.65 million settlement that will end the legal cases against the church stemming from a series of priest sex abuse cases.

The lawyer for the former altar boys, Jerome F. O'Neill, said Thursday an arbitrator will decide how much of the settlement will go to each person.

The diocese has been sued by dozens of former altar boys accusing it of negligent hiring. Many of the cases centered on the actions in the 1970s of the now-defrocked Rev. Edward Paquette.

O'Neill says his clients will be relieved they will to be able to put the abuse cases behind them.

Bishop Salvatore Matano on Thursday apologized to the abuse victims and asked for prayers to heal their wounds.

 
 

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