MISSOURI
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
For immediate release: Tuesday, July 22, 2014
For more information: David Clohessy of St. Louis, SNAP Director (314) 566-9790 cell, SNAPclohessy@aol.com
Crucial court hearing is tomorrow
It involves embattled Catholic bishop
Judge may OK “ground-breaking” award
Arbitrator says 42 abuse victims to get $1.1 million
SNAP: “Top Catholic official broke his prevention contract”
Group encourages parishioners to attend court session on Wednesday
A Kansas City judge will hear arguments tomorrow about whether an unprecedented $1.1 million award to 42 clergy sex abuse victims should stand or be overturned.
Judge Bryan Round will hear lawyers for embattled KC Bishop Robert Finn claim that the sum should be tossed out because an arbitrator exceeded his authority during binding arbitration.
A support group for clergy sex abuse victims is urging local parishioners to attend the 10 a.m. hearing Wednesday in Division 8 of the Jackson County court.
The group applauds the arbitrator’s award and agrees with the finding that Finn is guilty of “breach of contract.”
Leaders of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, have called the award “ground-breaking.”
“As best we can tell, there’s never been a case like this – anywhere in the U.S. – in which victims have successfully held a bishop responsible in court for breaking the promises he made during a settlement,” said David Clohessy, SNAP’s director. “And the amount of this award is significant because it may will deter more Catholic officials from breaking the promises they make to victims.”
In 2008, 47 victims settled child sex abuse and cover up lawsuits against Finn and his diocese. As part of that deal, they insisted that Finn commit to 19 non-economic child safety measures.
In October 2011, 44 of those victims formally charged that Finn broke many of those child safety measures, in part by keeping two credibly accused predator priests in ministry (Fr. James Tierney and Fr. Shawn Ratigan) and by not reporting suspicions and knowledge of child sex crimes promptly to law enforcement.
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