By Ray Hershel
WGGB
July 15, 2010
http://www.wggb.com/Global/story.asp?S=12808511
[with video]
[A transcript of the video deposition can be read here.]
 |
| Former Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield Thomas Dupre |
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB)-- The lawyer for a Williamstown man who is suing two former Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield bishops is asking that a deposition from one of those bishops be made public.
At issue in the court hearing Wednesday afternoon was whether the video tape of the deposition given in April by former Bishop Thomas Dupre be released.
Andrew Nicastro is suing both former Bishops Joseph Maguire and Dupre saying they were negligent in their supervision of former priest Alfred Graves. Nicastro said Graves abused him back in the 1980s.
Dupre's attorney, Michael Jennings, asked the judge not to allow the video tape to be released.
"The only purpose for doing so would be to cause him embarrassment and harassment," said Jennings, who said he advised Dupre to invoke his 5th Amendment rights for the deposition.
But Attorney John Stobierski, who represents Nicastro disagrees.
"This clergy abuse crisis was founded in a shroud of secrecy. It's a principle of the people who advocate for the victims to make sure there's nothing secret about what happened so it doesn't happen again," said Stobierski.
Nicastro also feels the deposition should be made public.
"Concern over embarrassment or harassment I suppose I understand it, but I don't think it compares to what behavior on behalf of the diocese and their employees as it were caused victims, I think we've gone through much worse and we've had to carry around that burden our entire lives," said Nicastro.
The judge took the matter under advisement.
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.