July 25, 2005

6 new sex-abuse claims brought to Davenport diocese

DAVENPORT (IA)
Quad-City Times

By Todd Ruger

Six men have brought new claims of sexual abuse by priests in the 1960s and 1970s to the Catholic Diocese of Davenport in the past month for mediation, their attorney said.

They are among the first claims brought to the diocese since it paid $9 million to settle 37 civil claims in October, and include two priests not previously named by the diocese and believed to be deceased, attorney Craig Levien said.

Part of that settlement's non-monetary terms requires future claimants to attempt to mediate the claims instead of filing lawsuits.

David Montgomery of the diocese said there have been a few other claims brought to the diocese since the settlement, but "there hasn't been a flood."

Four of the new claims are against three priests who already have faced similar suits and who Bishop William Franklin already asked the Vatican to remove from the priesthood due to credible allegations.

Posted by kshaw at July 25, 2005 05:42 AM