October 21, 2005

Request to replace another judge in priest sex abuse lawsuit denied

DAVENPORT (IA)
KWQC

DAVENPORT, Iowa The chief judge of Iowa's Seventh Judicial District has denied a request to replace another judge who presided over a series of sex abuse lawsuits involving Roman Catholic priests from the Davenport Diocese.

Today, David Schoenthaler (SHONE'-thay-luhr) rejected a motion to appoint a new judge to oversee a fresh set of lawsuits involving the diocese and Lawrence Soens, the former bishop of the Sioux City Diocese.

Soens' attorneys wanted Judge C-H Pelton dismissed, saying he incorrectly ruled on other sexual abuse cases involving priests.

Posted by kshaw at October 21, 2005 12:02 PM