NEW YORK
The New York Times
By ALISON LEIGH COWAN and WINNIE HU
Published: December 22, 2004
For the first time since becoming archbishop of New York in 2000, Cardinal Edward M. Egan is expected to testify as a witness in a civil lawsuit alleging sexual abuse by a priest, the cardinal's spokesman and lawyers involved in the case confirmed yesterday.
Lawyers for the plaintiff, identified as John Doe in court documents, told Judge Chase Rogers of State Superior Court in Stamford, Conn., last week that they needed the cardinal to testify to ensure that the cardinal's comments about the case would be available before the case goes to trial, tentatively scheduled for Jan. 11.
Joseph Zwilling, a spokesman for the Archdiocese of New York, said he fully expected the cardinal to cooperate with the subpoena, as did two lawyers involved in the case. The issuance of a subpoena calling upon him to testify was first reported by The Greenwich Time yesterday.
Mr. Zwilling said that it was not the first time that Cardinal Egan had been deposed about alleged sexual misconduct in the church, though it would be the first time since he left Bridgeport to become archbishop of the New York archdiocese in June 2000. He became cardinal in February 2001.
Posted by kshaw at December 22, 2004 12:40 AM