MINNESOTA
Winona Post
By Sarah Squires
A Ramsey County judge ruled in January that the Winona Diocese and Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis must disclose by Tuesday, February 18 lists of priests accused of molesting children since 2004.
The deadline comes on the heels of the December release of names of diocesan priests “credibly accused” of sexual abuse, which made public the names of 14 former Winona Diocese priests who were included in a census compiled by the John Jay College in 2002. The latest court ruling would require the diocese to disclose lists of priests facing any sex abuse accusations; the names would be released only to the plaintiff attorney and court itself.
When the Winona Post went to press late Tuesday afternoon, attorneys on both sides of the issue were still waiting for a motion filed by the diocese with the Court of Appeals to see if the deadline would be extended or the ruling overturned.
Winona Diocese Director of Mission Advancement Joel Hennessy said on Tuesday that he did not believe the list would be released that day, but added that diocesan attorneys were still mulling the issue, watching the clock, and hoping the Court of Appeals would take up the motion.
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