IOWA CITY (IA)
Press-Citizen
By The Associated Press
A former Roman Catholic Bishop accused of sexually abusing minors as a priest and principal in Iowa City wants the judge assigned to his case replaced.
Attorneys for former Bishop Lawrence Soens, who retired as Bishop in the Sioux City Diocese in 1998, is defending allegations in at least two lawsuits that he molested minors 40 years ago while serving as principal at Regina High School.
Through his lawyer, Soens has denied the allegations, which accuse him of ordering students to private meetings in his principal's office where he engaged in improper sexual conduct.
In motions filed recently in Scott County District Court, Soens seeks to have Judge C.H. Pelton disqualified and a new judge appointed to the cases.