Priest Sexual Abuse Archives - Page 9 of 12 - Halifax Sexual Abuse Claims Blog

June 25th, 2008

Media Reports of Antigonish Diocese Sexual Abuse Class Action

Here is some of the media coverage of Ron Martin’s class action on behalf of persons who were sexually abused by priests from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Antigonish.

Sex-abuse suit alleges conspiracy by Catholic Church: CBC News
Class-action suit filed against Roman Catholic diocese in N.S. over alleged abuse: The Canadian Press
Church facing class action (Suit alleges Catholic diocese failed to protect kids from abuse) : Chronicle Herald
N.S. Catholic bishop: Church open to helping sex abuse victims: Canadian Press

Class-action filed against N.S. Catholic diocese: Canwest News

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June 24th, 2008

Sexual Abuse Class Action filed against R.C. Diocese of Antigonish and Cape Breton

by John McKiggan

Our firm has filed a class action against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Antigonish for compensation for victims of sexual abuse by priests from the Diocese.

The claim is the first class action in Nova Scotia filed under the new Class Proceedings Act.

The representative plaintiff is Ronald Martin. Ron’s brother of David Martin committed suicide 6 years ago. David’s suicide note revealed that he had been sexually abused by Father Hugh Vincent MacDonald, a former priest of the Antigonish Diocese.

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June 19th, 2008

Documentary Explores Vatican Sexual Abuse Cover Up

by John McKiggan

Vows of Silence is a new documentary by journalist Jason Berry, that explores Fr. Marciel Maciel Degollado, and the Catholic group, Legionaries of Christ.

The Vatican eventually found Maciel Degollado guilty of multiple acts of sexual abuse spanning decades. His punishment? His public ministry was restricted.

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June 10th, 2008

Bishop on Trial: Convicted of Covering up Sexual Abuse by Brother

by John McKiggan

Episcopal Bishop Charles Bennison is on trial in ecclesiastical court facing accusations that he covered up sexual abuse by his brother, who is also a priest, on a 14 year old girl.

The Bishop is not facing criminal charges, nor is he being sued in civil court. The trial is taking place under the rules of canon (church) law. A panel of 5 bishops, 2 clergy and 2 lay members will decide whether Bennsion violated church rules Title IV of the Canons of the Episcopal Church by failing to disclose that his brother, John Bennison was having sexual relations with an underage female parishioner.

The Philidelphia Bulletin has reported that :

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May 29th, 2008

Priest Sex Abuser Appeals Conviction: Denies Existence of Repressed Memory

by John McKiggan

Paul Shanley the notorious defrocked priest and convicted sex abuser that was the center of the Boston priest sexual abuse scandal has appealed his conviction on charges of repeatedly raping and fondling a boy at a Newton parish in the 1980s.

Shanley claims that his lawyer at his trial did not do a good enough job challenging the admissibility of the victim’s “repressed memories” of the childhood sexual abuse.

The District Attorney who prosecuted Shanley, Gerry Leone was quoted as saying:

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May 20th, 2008

Priest Charged with Sexual Abuse Chooses Trial by Judge and Jury: Quebec

by John McKiggan

Le Soleil has reported that Denis Tremblay, a priest from Sainte-Martine accused of sexual abuse, has elected trial by judge and jury.

Tremblay was a priest at Sainte-Martine for more than 20 years. He is charged with sexual molestation, indecent exposure and indecency on a person over whom he had authority.

The acts allegedly took place over a 40-year-period, between 1968 and 2007.

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May 14th, 2008

Ex-Cop who Snubbed Cornwall Sex-Abuse Inquiry Appeals Contempt Conviction

by John McKiggan

Perry Dunlop a former police officer who is currently serving a jail sentence for refusing to testify at the Cornwall Sexual Abuse inquiry he helped spark is appealing his contempt conviction, but still has no plans to give evidence at the sex-abuse probe.

The Canadian Press has reported that Dunlop has retained Ottawa lawyer Lawrence Greenspon to handle the appeal, which he initially filed himself as an inmate.

I have posted about Dunlop’s refusal to cooperate with the inquiry before.

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May 14th, 2008

Jury awards victim $8.7 million in Vermont priest-abuse case.

by John McKiggan

A jury has awarded a man who was sexually abused by Roman Catholic priest Rev. Edward Paquette $8.7 million dollars. The Burlington Free press has reported that the jury deliberated for almost five hours before returning with their verdict.

The jury verdict was for $950,000 in compensatory damages (what is typically referred to as compensation for “pain and suffering”) and $7.75 million in punitive damages.

I posted about this case when the trial started last week, and last year when the Bishop of the Diocese of Vermont threatened to sue Indiana’s Fort Wayne-South Bend Diocese for failing to disclose prior complaints of sexual abuse against Paquette.

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May 13th, 2008

Lawyer wants to Question Pope about Sex Abuse Cover Ups

by John McKiggan

A lawyer representing three men who say that since 1962 the Vatican orchestrated a coverup of priests sexually abusing children in the United States wants a court order allowing him to question the pope about what the Catholic Church knew about sex abuse allegations.

I posted about how the Church tried unsuccessfully to stop the lawsuit last year.

The lawsuit is based, in part, on instructions that the Vatican sent in 1962 to Bishops worldwide instructing them to keep allegations of priest sexual abuse confidential, at the risk of excommunication.

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May 6th, 2008

Preliminary Inquiry Starts for Priest Charged with Sexual Abuse: North Bay, Ontario

by John McKiggan

A preliminary inquiry has started for Bernard Cloutier, a Roman Catholic priest charged with sexually assaulting several young boys over a decade at various parishes in Northern Ontario.

It is alleged the incidents involving Bernard Cloutier began in 1974 and continued until April 1983. He has pleaded not guilty to the 22 charges he is facing.

The preliminary inquiry will determine if there is sufficient evidence for the charges to proceed to trial.

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Category: Priest Sexual Abuse