Diocese of Knoxville TN - BishopAccountability.org

3 Accused in This Diocese

Fr. William Claude Casey

Ordained: 1969
Status: Convicted

Incardinated into the Knoxville diocese in 9/1988. Retired. Removed in 4/2010 when a criminal complaint was filed in NC by a man who said Casey abused him as a child for 5 years, beginning in 1975 while at St. Dominic's in Kingsport; accuser said abuse also occurred during a trip to NC. Casey acknowledged the abuse. Arrested in 4/2010 on NC charges. Pleaded guilty in 7/2010. Sentenced to three years in prison, suspended to 24 months probation. Charged also in VA and TN. Found guilty in 7/2011 in TN. Sentenced 11/2011 to 35-40 years. Appeal denied in 6/2012. Appealed conviction to TN Supreme Court as of 3/27/2014; denied as of 6/23/2014. Laicization announced 2/7/2013. Appealed in 2015 to have DA General's office recused from case; failed 10/30/2015. Petitioned to have conviction set aside; denied in 5/2017. Included on the Nashville diocese's list 11/2/2018. On Knoxville list 3/6/2020.

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Fr. Stephen Charles LaPrad

Ordained: 1995
Status: Charged

Died: 07/8/2014
Diocese: Diocese of Knoxville TN

Removed from ministry 11/21/2001. Indicted by Grand Jury in 4/02 on charges of "unlawful sexual contact" with a teenage boy at a Knoxville health club. Pled innocent in 6/02. Trial set for 3/03. LaPrad himself told the diocese in 11/01 and was placed on leave. He did not deny that the incident took place but alleged that he believed it to be consensual. Trial delayed when accuser was deployed with the National Guard. Per the diocese in 11/18, the case never went to trial. LaPrad died 7/8/14. On diocese's list 3/6/20.

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Diocese of Knoxville 03.06.20

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Fr. Xavier Mankel

Ordained: 1961
Status: Settled

Died: 06/21/2022
Diocese: Diocese of Knoxville TN

Monsignor Francis Xavier Mankel. Helped found the Knoxville diocese; was its first chancellor and vicar general. Pastor of Sacred Heart Cathedral 1987-97. Accused in a 7/19 lawsuit of repeatedly sexually abusing a Sacred Heart altar boy for two-and-a-half years, beginning in 1991 when the boy was in fourth grade. The boy was allegedly "offered up" to other priests for sex, including admitted abuser Bishop Anthony O'Connell, at least twice. Mankel died in 2017. Mankel's accuser filed a police report in 2018 and met with Bishop Stika, who said there was no credible evidence. The suit also accused a Sacred Heart music teacher, William Michael Lovelace, of attempting inappropriate touch. The diocese settled with Mankel's accuser in 12/19 while still denying the validity of the claim.

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Our Database of Publicly Accused does not state or imply that individuals facing allegations are guilty of a crime or liable for civil claims. The reports contained in the database are merely allegations. The U.S. legal system presumes that a person accused of or charged with a crime is innocent until proven guilty. Similarly, individuals who may be defendants in civil actions are presumed not to be liable for such claims unless a plaintiff proves otherwise. Admissions of guilt or liability are not typically a part of civil or private settlements. For more information, see our posting policy.