MINNESOTA
KAAL
[with video]
By: Brandi Powell
A canon lawyer who became a whistleblower against the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis says church officials considered silencing a critic by declaring him to be disabled.
In a sworn statement released Tuesday, Jennifer Haselberger claimed that she was “ignored” and “dismissed” when she brought up sex abuse allegations to the church. The affidavit was filed after the archdiocese attempted to throw sexual abuse survivor, John Doe 1’s civil lawsuit out of court.
The law firm, Jeff Anderson and Associates, is representing John Doe 1 in the case. Attorneys released Haselberger’s sworn affidavit.
University of St. Thomas Canon Law Expert Dr. Charles Reid weighed in on the claims. He said Haselberger makes it clear that investigations carried out by the Archdiocese were “inadequate.”
“If her affidavit lays out the foundations of Jeff Anderson’s case, I think she presents compelling testimony that helps lay the groundwork for a claim of past, and perhaps even continuing, public nuisance,” Reid explained.
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