Second judge in Wisconsin rules defrocked cardinal Theodore McCarrick not competent to stand trial

MILWAUKEE (WI)
Boston Globe

January 10, 2024

By Grace Gilson

A judge in Wisconsin has become the second to find defrocked Roman Catholiccardinal Theodore McCarrick not competent to stand trial in a case involving allegations that he sexually assaulted a 18-year-old boy in 1977, according to the victim’s lawyer Mitchell Garabedian and Reuters.

Judge David Reddy’s decision was handed outafter McCarrick’s diagnosis of dementia previously preventedhim from going to trial in Massachusetts in August.

McCarrick, 93, is the highest ranking official in the Roman Catholic church in the United States to have allegations leveled against him.

Following Reddy’s decision Wednesday, Garabedian said in a statement that his client would continue to pursue civil lawsuits in New Jersey and New York.

“My client is a courageous and determined clergy sexual abuse survivor who will continue to seek validation and justice in the civil courts of [New Jersey and New York] against former U.S. Cardinal McCarrick and all relevant parties,” said Garabedian. “Justice does not take a day off for clergy sexual abuse survivors and sexual abuse survivors.”

McCarrick was ousted from the Catholic church in 2019 following a Vatican investigation that found him guilty of committing sexual crimes against children and adults.

Grace Gilson can be reached at grace.gilson@globe.com.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2024/01/10/metro/cardinal-mccarrick-sex-abuse-trial/