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Diocese announces $9.95M settlement in priest abuse cases
By Jeffrey Field
The Diocese of Kansas City - St. Joseph said Tuesday it has agreed to settle all outstanding sexual abuse claims against priests. The $9.95 million settlement resolves 30 pending claims filed between 2010 and earlier this year. The abuse alleged in those claims dated back 20 years or more. A large portion of the settlement will be covered by insurers. The rest will be paid for by the church. David Clohessy of Survivor's Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) issued a statement about the settlement, saying the church did not want to risk a trial and worried jurors would find the accusers credible. "(Bishop Robert) Finn and his aides and their expensive lawyers pulled out all the stops to try and deny Jon David Couzens his day in court. They did the same with these other victims. Time after time, Finn failed. So at the eleventh hour, to protect their reputations and careers, Kansas City Catholic officials settled this case and the others as well," the statement said. "While we are relieved these courageous survivors, especially Jon David, won't have to endure even more mean-spirited legal attacks by Finn and his expensive lawyers, more cover ups by more Catholic officials would have emerged had these cases gone to trial and we're sad that this won't happen." The church said it hopes the settlement brings about some closure to those hurt by past abuse. It asked anyone who suspects child abuse to report it to the Missouri Child Abuse Hotline at 800-392-3738 and to local police. Anyone who suspects a case where an abuser works or volunteers for the church should also contact church ombudsman Jenifer Valenti at 816-812-2500.
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