ROCKFORD (IL)
Chicago Daily Herald
By Tona Kunz Daily Herald Staff Writer
Posted Wednesday, March 09, 2005
The Rockford Catholic Diocese made its latest bid for secrecy Tuesday, asking a judge to seal all documents in a civil case over sexual abuse in Geneva and Aurora.
That would prevent the public and the media from seeing any documents regarding the work file of Mark Campobello, medical records for his 15-year-old victims or records of other diocese priests accused of sexual indiscretions against youths or adults.
"This is kind of going to be the crux of the case. This really tells them how much disclosure is required. How much of a backlash they will get," said Keith Aeschliman, a Shorewood attorney representing in the civil suit the two teens Campobello admitted sexually abusing while he served at St. Peter's Church in Geneva and Aurora Central Catholic High School. "But at the same time, it is really a test to see if the right of the public to know outweighs the right to privacy."
Although in the paperwork requesting secrecy the diocese contends it is the victims' privacy at stake, Aeschliman said it is really the diocese at risk. As in some previous church-abuse cases, the girls' names or those of other juveniles could be kept private while still turning over church files. That would protect the juveniles while shining a light on diocese practices regarding allegations of sexual abuse and misconduct.
Aeschliman has asked for diocese files on 33 priests, including Campobello, allegedly accused of sexual misconduct so that he can determine how the diocese traditionally dealt with accusations and when they learned of them.
Posted by kshaw at March 9, 2005 05:46 AM