GREENFIELD (MA)
Republican
Saturday, January 08, 2005
By BILL ZAJAC
wzajac@repub.com
GREENFIELD - In addition to six priests being accused in lawsuits of sexual abuse this week, four additional claims against now deceased priests were made directly to the diocese recently, according to a Greenfield lawyer.
Three of the four deceased priests never had public accusations made against them before this week, lawyer John J. Stobierski said at a press conference yesterday in his Greenfield office.
Stobierski said the complaints by his clients against the priests, who were not identified, will be settled through an agreement with the diocese. The same agreement will be used for the claims made in the six lawsuits filed Wednesday in Hampden Superior Court. The suits named individuals as defendants, but not the diocese.
A diocesan official confirmed the claims against the deceased priests and the existence of an agreement that allows the diocese and the accusers to try to reach a financial settlement without the diocese being named as a defendant in suits. The agreement stands even if the statute of limitations has been exceeded in any of the 10 complaints.
Posted by kshaw at January 8, 2005 04:23 AM