CALIFORNIA
Monterey County Herald
The Monterey County Herald
Herald Staff Report
POSTED: 11/13/2013
A Monterey judge says he plans to release some of the depositions and documents produced during a clergy abuse lawsuit against the Catholic Diocese of Monterey and one of its former priests.
In a preliminary determination filed Nov. 6 after review of the documents, Superior Court Judge Thomas Wills says evidence gathered in pre-trail proceedings in a case that ultimately settled, will not be released until after a Dec. 9 hearing to give the parties a chance to take issue with the order. He also stayed the decision for 30 days to give parties an opportunity to take it to appeals court.
The alleged victim filed suit against the Diocese and Father Edward Fitz-Henry in February 2011, alleging Fitz-Henry molested the former altar boy at Madonna del Salsso Church in Salinas in 2005. The diocese concluded the claims were credible, paid the alleged victim $500,000 and suspended Fitz-Henry.
The diocese had sought a protective order while the case was on track for trial and that order remained in effect after the settlement.
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