MINNESOTA
St. Cloud Times
A settlement between child sex abuse victims and church officials will be announced Monday, only a few weeks before a groundbreaking trial accusing the Roman Catholic church of turning a blind eye to clergy abuse was scheduled to begin, the victim’s attorney said.
Details of the confidential settlement between victims and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and the Diocese of Winona will be outlined before a Ramsey County judge Monday morning before an official announcement is made later in the afternoon.
Sources said the landmark agreement not only settles a lawsuit slated to go to trial Nov. 3 but also covers hundreds of other alleged abuse victims who have been waiting in the wings with their own allegations.
Along with the financial settlement, the agreement will stipulate how future allegations of abuse are handled.
“This feels to me like a new way and a new day,” said Jeff Anderson, attorney for the victims. “There is a strict difference between policy and protocol and action, but they (archdiocese officials) are committed to working with us than against us.”
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