By Alan Cohn
WWLP
January 28 2009
http://www.wwlp.com/dpp/news/national/northeast/nat_wtnh_Hartford_archdiocese_molestation_lawsuit_2009012714202179256
[with video]
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HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) - The Archdiocese, of Hartford, settles two more lawsuits alleging sexual molestation. The suits involve two priests, Father Stephen Foley and Father Daniel McSheffery.
What's unique about the settlement in the Foley case is the priest agreed to a condition allowing his video taped deposition to be made public.
The victim, 45-year old William Noll, required this stipulation to assist others who might be pursuing molestation cases against priests.
News Channel 8 confronted Father Foley a couple years ago after a deposition in another case. So far, the Hartford Archdiocese has paid out more than $2.7 million to settle eight cases against Foley.
In this case, Foley, the former chaplain of the Connecticut State Police, was accused of assaulting Noll in his car which was outfitted as a police cruiser.
Although the church is settling this case for $750,000 -- Foley denied any inappropriate behavior during his deposition.
News Channel 8: "You deny sir when you were in Massachusetts at the cottage you bought liquor for a 14, 15-year-old [and] gave it to him? Got him drunk and spent the night alone with him?"
Rev. Foley: "Absolutely not."
Now in the case of Father Daniel McSheffery, when his deposition was leaked to News Channel 8 a couple of years ago, the priests's attorney filed a complaint against the lawyer representing the alleged victim.
In that deposition McSheffery plead the 5th over 50 times. But today, lawyers representing the latest alleged victim of Father McSheffery, announced the Hartford Archdiocese has settled the case for $785,000 dolllars. That's in addition to the $1.6 million settlement in an earlier case against the priest.
McSheffery still denies any wrongdoing.
Not only were both settlements announced the same day, both priests have left Connecticut and are currently living in Florida.
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