ALBANY (NY)
Albany Times Union
By MICHELE MORGAN BOLTON, Staff writer
First published: Wednesday, January 19, 2005
ALBANY -- A distraught clergy sex abuse victim has threatened to kill Bishop Howard Hubbard if his alleged abuser is cleared of sexual misconduct allegations, according to attorney John Aretakis.
Without naming the victim or the priest, Aretakis sent a Jan. 15 letter to Hubbard's lawyer, Michael Costello, apprising him of the threat.
Aretakis, who represents a number of clergy sex abuse victims, said he does not think the threat is credible, but said he still felt a warning to Hubbard was warranted.
"I feel a moral obligation to pass this information on," Aretakis said in the letter. "Please (tell) Bishop Hubbard that he should take efforts at insuring his own safety."
Aretakis said he received word of the threat from the victim last Friday and sent the warning the next day to Costello. In the letter, he said he was moved to alert the longtime church leader, even though he feels he has "acted undignified, uncharitable and completely contrary to the teachings of Jesus Christ."