Media Release – August 10, 2016

Road to Recovery
August 10, 2016

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/AbuseTracker/road-to-recovery.org

Lawsuit filed by childhood clergy sexual abuse victim in Essex County, NJ Superior Court against Fr. Michael “Mitch” Walters; the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey; its former Archbishop, Cardinal Theodore Mc Carrick; and St. John Nepomucene Parish, Guttenberg, NJ

Fr. Michael “Mitch” Walters is a priest of the Archdiocese of Newark who is accused of sexual abuse of “John Doe” when he was a child at St. John Nepomucene Parish, Guttenberg, NJ, (Hudson County) from approximately 1994-1995

“John Doe,” a childhood sexual abuse victim/survivor of Fr. Michael “Mitch” Walters at St. John Nepomucene Parish in Guttenberg, NJ, seeks justice through the civil courts of New Jersey. He is one of six known childhood sexual abuse victim/survivors of Fr. Michael “Mitch” Walters

What

A press conference announcing the filing of a civil lawsuit in Essex County, NJ, Superior Court by “John Doe,” a childhood sexual abuse victim, against Fr. Michael “Mitch” Walters, a priest of the Archdiocese of Newark, who sexually abused “John Doe” at St. John Nepomucene Parish in Guttenberg, NJ, from approximately 1994-1995.

When

Wednesday, August 10, 2016 at 12:30 PM

Where

On the public sidewalk across the street from the headquarters of the Archdiocese of Newark, 171 Clifton Avenue, Newark, NJ 07104

Who

Members of Road to Recovery, Inc., a non-profit charity based in New Jersey that assists victims of sexual abuse and their families, including its co-founder and President, Robert M. Hoatson, Ph.D.

Why

On Father’s Day weekend, 2015, David Ohlmuller, a brave victim/survivor of sexual abuse by Fr. Michael “Mitch Walters at St. Cassian’s Parish, Upper Montclair, NJ, in the 1980s, came forward to report that he had been sexually abused by Fr. Michael “Mitch” Walters. Subsequently, a woman, Danielle Polemeni, reported that she had been sexually abused by Fr. Michael “Mitch” Walters at St. Cassian’s Parish, Upper Montclair, NJ and at other locations from approximately 1982-1983. Four other sexual abuse victim/survivors of Fr. Michael “Mitch” Walters have also come forward, and one of those victim/survivors, “John Doe,” from St. John Nepomucene Parish in Guttenberg, NJ, has filed a lawsuit against Fr. Michael “Mitch” Walters, the Archdiocese of Newark, NJ, and then Archbishop, now Cardinal Theodore Mc Carrick. From approximately 1994-1995, Fr. Michael “Mitch” Walters sexually abused John Doe on numerous occasions when he was a parishioner of St. John Nepomucene Parish in Guttenberg, NJ, and Fr. Michael “Mitch” Walters was assigned to that parish. Demonstrators will announce their support of “John Doe” and demand that the Archdiocese of Newark help “John Doe” heal by validating his claim with a fair and just settlement.

Contacts

Robert M. Hoatson, Ph.D., Road to Recovery, Inc. – roberthoatson@gmail.com – 862-368-2800

Attorney Mitchell Garabedian, Boston, MA – 617-523-6250