NEW JERSEY
North Jersey Record
August 7, 2019
By Deena Yellin and Abbott Koloff
A man who grew up in North Jersey plans to file a lawsuit alleging that he was sexually abused as a child by former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, his attorney announced Wednesday during a news conference.
Mitchell Garabedian, the attorney, also released the names of 28 New Jersey priests who allegedly abused 30 of his clients who are seeking settlements through a victim’s compensation fund set up by the state’s five Catholic dioceses.
The New Jersey Independent Victim Compensation Program began accepting applications in June and offers a way for victims of clergy abuse to settle their cases without going to court. As of Aug. 5, more than 50 victims filed claims and seven received cash settlements. The process calls for the victims to file claims with independent mediators who evaluate the supporting documentation and, once they establish an accusation’s credibility, offer a monetary award.
Twelve of the priests on the list have never been publicly named before, Garabedian said during the news conference, which was held in West Orange.
The attorney said that if the victims aren’t satisfied with the settlements offered by the church, they could file lawsuits in December when a new state law opens a two-year window for such cases to be filed.
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