BOSTON (MA)
Daily News Tribune
By Kimberly Atkins / Boston Herald
Saturday, December 31, 2005
The Archdiocese of Boston yesterday dismissed criticism it was using harsh legal tactics to cut sex abuse settlements, admonished plaintiffs’ attorneys for talking to the press, and said a lack of personnel and financial resources require it to carefully vet more than 200 remaining abuse claims.
A number of plaintiffs attorneys had blasted church officials Thursday for proposing a multitiered settlement structure that would allow only half the current claimants to avoid a potentially painful fact-finding process, and cap all settlements at a lower amount than those negotiated for 554 victims in 2003.
The rest of the plaintiffs would either have an arbitrator hear testimony and other evidence and rule on whether the abuse took place, or be excluded from arbitration, a process the plaintiffs’ attorneys called a form of revictimization.
In a statement, the church admonished plaintiffs’ attorneys for speaking to reporters about "confidential discussions" with church counsel Thomas Hannigan Jr. and leaking "misleading or inaccurate information about those discussions."
"The Archdiocese, in its offer of the arbitration program, does not intend in any way to demean or re-victimize the survivors of sexual abuse as has been asserted," the statement said.