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  Another Priest Once Based in West Tenn. Accused of Abuse

By Pete Wickham
Jackson Sun [Tennessee]
September 14, 2006

http://www.jacksonsun.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060914/NEWS01/60914007

Daniel T. DuPree, a former priest and pastor at churches in Memphis, Jackson, Lexington and Parsons, is named in one of two multimillion-dollar abuse and negligence lawsuits filed Thursday against the Catholic Diocese of Memphis.

The suits, filed in Shelby County Circuit Court, seek damages in excess of $10 million for each of two unnamed clients who were living in the Memphis area when they were allegedly abused by DuPree and the Rev. Joseph Nguyen in separate cases.

In one suit, DuPree, who served at St. Mary's Church in Jackson, St. Andrew Church in Lexington and St. Regina Church in Parsons from 1987 to 1991, is accused of sexual abuse of an unnamed male, now 37, whom DuPree met while the alleged victim was a freshman in high school living in Bartlett. The suit says incidents of sexual abuse began in 1985, while DuPree and the alleged victim were visiting with DuPree's family in Texas, and continued for several years after that.

The suit was filed by a local attorney in conjunction with a Miami-based law firm, Herman & Mermelstein, which has been involved with abuse suits in other areas.

Adam Horowitz, an attorney for the firm, said that this suit does not involve activity involving churches outside Memphis, but added "we have heard of complaints from other parishes."

Horowitz said, "We're familiar with the perpetrator, and the Diocese of Memphis' handling of Fr. DuPree was inexcusable. Anyone suspected of child abuse should not be in a position of trust and security."

Diocesean spokesman Rev. John Geaney said he could not comment on the suits this afternoon. "We haven't been served with the papers," he said.

 
 

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