April 13, 2005

Suit claims clergy victims ignored

ALBANY (NY)
Albany Times Union

By BRIAN NEARING, Staff writer
First published: Wednesday, April 13, 2005

ALBANY -- Attorney General Eliot Spitzer and a counseling program for victims of clergy sexual abuse were named in a lawsuit that accused Spitzer of ignoring victims' calls to investigate alleged misconduct and conspiracy by Catholic leaders.

Attorney John Aretakis filed the suit April 7 in U.S. District Court on behalf of three victims: Randall Sweringen, a 39-year-old former monk who was sexually abused by a priest while a student at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; David Wilson; and a man identified as John Doe.

The lawsuit also names the New York State Dispute Resolution Association, which set up a mediation service for people who were abused by current or former priests of the Albany Roman Catholic Diocese. The diocese asked the association to create the program.

On Tuesday, Aretakis criticized Spitzer, saying, "The requests of clergy abuse victims have fallen on deaf ears."


Posted by kshaw at April 13, 2005 11:49 AM