Diocese of Memphis TN - BishopAccountability.org

11 Accused in This Diocese

Fr. Daniel T. Dupree

Ordained: 1984
Status: Sued

Accused in a lawsuit filed in 9/06 of the sexual abuse of a male high school freshman, beginning in 1985 and continuing for several years. Suit dismissed by appeals court on SOL in 9/08. Complaints from other parishes as well. May have been as many as 15 victims. Dupree was removed from ministry and is believed to have been living in TX, possibly Texarkana. Laicized 3/31/06.

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Fr. Juan Carlos Duran

Order: OP
Ordained: 1996
Status: Settled

Diocese: Diocese of Memphis TN

Extern priest from Colombia. Removed from Franciscan order 1985 for sexual abuse of a boy in Bolivia. Accepted by Dominicans, who were aware of his history. Sued 2004. Accused of abuse of a boy. Also charged in 2004 with sexually abusing a 10-year-old boy in 1999 and continuing until 2002 in St. Louis and Chicago. Believed to have returned to Colombia. Dismissed from Dominicans in 2001. Laicized in 2017. Some reports state he was transferred to St. Louis after abuse in Memphis. Others state that he came from St. Louis. Civil suit settled 2/09 for $2M from diocese and order. Included in the Memphis diocese's report 2/28/20.

Fr. Walter M. Emala

Ordained: 1952
Status: Settled

Died: 02/20/2008
Diocese: Diocese of Memphis TN

The Diocese of Nashville knew in at least 1959 of Emala's behavior with boys. (The Memphis diocese was created from Nashville in 1970.) In the 1960s parents were told by a diocesan official to keep their boys away from him. Given an ultimatum in 1968 to leave TN on an extended leave of absence or retire and leave TN. Emala went on leave and to Baltimore MD. Memphis told Baltimore that Emala was a priest in good standing and he was assigned in 1972 to a parish. Removed in 1975 from the Baltimore assignment after allegations of child sexual abuse. Requested faculties in the Diocese of Wilmington DE, with recommendation from Memphis Bishop Dozier (who was later credibly accused of child sexual abuse). Request denied. Allowed part-time work in the Diocese of Harrisburg PA in 1978, although faculties had not been granted. Complaints in 1985 of his behavior with boys. Removed. Prior to 1988 Emala presented himself as a priest for 20 years in East Baltimore, despite having no faculties. Involved as a chaplain with many organizations and counseled children, mostly boys. Multiple individuals alleged sexual abuse, including rape, by him in the 1970s-1980s. At least one boy was as young as age 7. At least one settlement. Included on 9/2002 Baltimore list. Died 2/20/2008 in Baltimore. Name included on Harrisburg diocese's list 8/1/2018, noted to have been seen kissing a minor on the lips in the early 1980s. On Knoxville's list as of 3/6/2020. (Knoxville diocese was created from Nashville in 1988.) Included in the 4/5/2023 MD Attorney General's Report.

Assignments:

PA Grand Jury Report Profile 08.14.18

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Fr. James D. Gilbert

Ordained: 1957
Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of Memphis TN

Named publicly as credibly accused by the Memphis diocese on its list 2/28/20. Ordained for the Diocese of Natchez, granted dispensation from the clerical state in 10/73 then reinstated for Memphis in 7/78. Suspended from ministry 8/13/85. Laicized in 2006.

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Diocese of Memphis Report 02.28.20

Fr. Milton J. Guthrie

Ordained: 1957
Status: Sued

Died: 04/6/2022
Diocese: Diocese of Memphis TN

Died in 4/02. Named as abuser in a 10/08 civil suit against the Diocese. Accuser alleged that Guthrie abused him in the 1970s when he was a youth. Trial court failed in 4/09 to dismiss based on Diocese's claim of statute of limitations; Diocese appealed. Appeals court dismissed the suit based on SOL in 5/10. TN Supreme Court ruled in 2/12 that the plaintiff's claims were not barred by SOL and discovery could continue in lower court.

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Fr. William R. Kantner

Ordained: 1975
Status: Accused

Died: 02/17/2013
Diocese: Diocese of Memphis TN

Documents released in 4/2010 show that in 2002 the Vicar General of the Memphis diocese found credible an allegation that Kantner had abused a teenage boy over several years in the late 1970s. In 2004 the Bishop wrote a letter of recommendation that allowed Kantner to work on a mission trip to Mexico; the Bishop admitted later that he may have put children in harm's way. Kantner denied abuse. He worked in the Allentown diocese 2001 and 2002, 2003 and 2004 and was back in Memphis in 2005. In 2006 a former seminarian complained that Kantner had subjected him to aggressive behavior and sexual advances years prior. The Diocese called the allegations "inconclusive." Kept in ministry, sent to counseling. Kantner died 2/17/2013. Included in the Diocese's 2020 report of those with credible allegations against them of the sexual abuse of minors.

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Fr. Richard L. Mickey

Ordained: 1988
Status: Settled

Diocese: Diocese of Memphis TN

Sued in 2004. Accused of abuse of twin brothers at Bishop Byrne High School in 1980, prior to priesthood. Removed in 8/04, reinstated in early 2005. Remained active priest until 8/06 when he suddenly resigned from all "pastoral or public ministry" according to a diocesan spokesman. Civil suit settlement announced 8/07. Another man came forward to say he and Mickey "were a couple" when the man was in high school in the 1990s and Mickey was the school's chaplain. The Review Board determined in another case that Mickey engaged in grooming behavior with a boy. Also, Mickey knew of abuse by Rev. Juan Carlos Duran and did nothing.

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Fr. James William Murphy

Ordained: 1948
Status: Accused

Died: 10/11/2016
Diocese: Diocese of Memphis TN

Accused of sexually abusing boys with Revs. Janssen, Geerts, and Bass during trips to the Davenport IA diocese. Also accused of abusing boys in the Nashville diocese, in places that would later become parts of the Dioceses of Memphis and Knoxville. Worked in the St. Paul-Minneapolis archdiocese at a retreat center. Died 10/11/2016. In 2018 a man stated publicly that he was abused in IA as a child by Murphy and three other priests. Murphy's name is included on the Nashville diocese's list 11/2/2018. On Knoxville's list as of 3/6/2020.

Assignments:

Detailed BA.org Assignment Record

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Fr. Joseph Thinh Duc Nguyen

Donate Photo

Ordained: 1994
Status: Settled

Diocese: Diocese of Memphis TN

Full name: Joseph Thinh Duc Nguyen. Civil suit filed in 9/06 alleged Nguyen abused a girl 1994-99. A second suit alleged abuse 1997-99. Placed on leave in 9/06, after first suit filed, from his assignment as chaplain at St. Peter Villa, a nursing and rehabilitation center in Memphis. A third suit filed in 11/06 alleged Nguyen abused a girl 1997-99 after the death of her brother. All three suits settled in 6/07. Suspended from ministry 7/23/07. Laicized 5/29/12.

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Fr. Paul Wiley St. Charles

Ordained: 1966
Status: Settled

Died: 12/27/2009
Diocese: Diocese of Memphis TN

Incardinated into the Memphis diocese in 1971. Diocese's first Catholic Youth Office Director 1971-1973. Retired under pressure from the Diocese in 1986 due to "rumors." Allegations made to the Diocese in 2002 about misconduct dating back to the 1970s. Review board found allegations to be "more likely than not" and placed him on leave in 11/2004. Named in at least six civil suits filed between 2005 and 2008 regarding events that allegedly took place when St. Charles was assigned to Church of the Ascension or Our Lady of Sorrows. At least 17 known accusers. One suit was dismissed in 3/2009. Three to four settled. Died in 12/2009. On the Nashville diocese's list 11/2/2018. Included in the Memphis diocese's report 2/28/2020. On the Knoxville diocese's list as of 3/6/2020.

Fr. Joel M. Wiggs

Ordained: 1949
Status: Sued

Died: 06/6/2001
Diocese: Diocese of Memphis TN

Monsignor. Parish priest, community volunteer, "very active" with the Boys Scouts. Died in 2001. Sexual abuse of boys by Wiggs was reported to the Diocese in 2002, 2013 and 2019. The Diocese kept it quiet. In 2023 a 56-year-old man stated publicly that Wiggs became involved with him and other boys when he was age 8, giving them gifts, taking them to racquetball and to a lake to waterski, sometimes overnight. The man said Wiggs would get naked with boys in a hot tub, massage them with baby oil and show them pornographic movies. When he was in seventh grade, he said Wiggs raped him with his finger, so he distanced himself from the priest. He said his brother, who died at age 50 in 2021, was also abused and had a "troubled" life. Accused in a 9/2024 lawsuit of sexually abusing a 12-year-old boy in 1967 while assigned to Sacred Heart in Humbolt, TN.

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