APPLETON (WI)
Green Bay Press-Gazette
Written by
Gannett Wisconsin Newspapers
APPLETON – An Outagamie County judge today granted a new trial to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Green Bay, concluding a member of the jury that ruled in favor of two childhood victims of sexual assault by a priest was biased.
Judge Nancy Krueger made the ruling a 12-page written decision released this afternoon in the lawsuit brought by brothers Todd and Troy Merryfield.
“The overriding emphasis of this court must be on the integrity of the justice and jury system – and the result of all parties to a fair and impartial trial,” she wrote. “If even one juror harbors a material prejudice, the right to an impartial jury has been impaired.”
The brothers claimed the diocese knew the Rev. John Feeney had a history of sexual misconduct when it installed him as a priest at Freedom’s St. Nicholas Church and falsely portrayed him as safe even though church officials knew he was a danger to children.
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