FAIRBANKS (AK)
News-Miner
By MARY BETH SMETZER
Staff Writer
One of three women to contact the Fairbanks Catholic Diocese alleging she suffered abuse at the hands of the priest who founded KNOM radio in Nome, the Rev. James Poole, has reached a monetary settlement with the diocese and the Society of Jesus, Oregon Province.
Patricia Hess of Anchorage, represented by Fairbanks attorney Bill Satterberg, signed off on the undisclosed settlement agreement Dec. 13.
Hess, who now lives in Anchorage, said she was a teenager living in Nome when she was sexually molested by Poole.
She went public, offering her story, name and photograph to the media last spring after another woman, listed under the pseudonym Jane Doe, filed a lawsuit against Poole. Jane Doe stated she had been sexually molested by the priest more than 100 times from 1978 to 1984, starting when she was 10 years old. Hess said she saw Poole's face on television and memories started flooding back.
Satterberg said the Dec. 13 agreement with Hess was done privately and his client has decided to keep the settlement confidential.
Posted by kshaw at December 30, 2004 07:15 AM