WISCONSIN
Janesville Gazette
(Published Thursday, August 4, 2005 10:53:53 AM CDT)
By Mike DuPre'
Gazette Staff
The defamation lawsuit filed by a Catholic priest against the parents of a young man who accused the priest of sexual abuse was dismissed early Wednesday afternoon.
However, the civil trial against the young man continued and was to resume this morning.
Judge John Roethe granted defense attorney John Casey's motion for a directed verdict of dismissal. Roethe found that the parents had acted within the conditional privileges allowed by the law to make defamatory statements.
In his suit, the Rev. Gerald Vosen alleged that the 26-year-old Milwaukee man and his parents, who are Janesville residents, made false and defamatory statements to the Diocese of Madison that Vosen had sexually assaulted the man when he was a student at St. John Vianney School and Vosen was pastor of the parish.
After Vosen's attorney, Patrick McDonald of Janesville, rested his case, Roethe ruled in the parents' favor.
Roethe explained that people are allowed to make defamatory statements under certain conditions, such as reporting sexual abuse, because in those circumstances the statements could be made for some higher purpose, such as protecting society.