CINCINNATI (OH)
Cincinnati Enquirer
By Dan Horn
Enquirer staff writer
Victims of clergy abuse might have to wait another two months to find out whether they will be paid from the Archdiocese of Cincinnati's $3 million victims' compensation fund.
The officials overseeing the fund originally had hoped to complete their work and begin paying victims in December.
But they said Thursday it has taken longer than expected to review the 134 applications for compensation - nearly twice the number expected - and to interview the victims and the accused priests.
"We're not dragging our feet," said Robert Stachler, a Cincinnati attorney and member of the independent tribunal that will disburse the money. "We want to get this behind us."
The administrator of the fund, Matthew Garretson, said the process of evaluating the claims is long, hard work. He said he could not set a deadline for finishing that work, but he estimated it could be another six to eight weeks.
Posted by kshaw at February 4, 2005 05:27 AM