LOS ANGELES (CA)
NBC 4
POSTED: 2:38 pm PST January 6, 2006
LOS ANGELES -- Any settlement of lawsuits pending against the Los Angeles Archdiocese should include the release of church documents on priests accused of sexual abuse, a victims' advocacy group said Friday.
More than 500 alleged victims of sexual abuse by Catholic priests have filed lawsuits against the Los Angeles Archdiocese.
After several years of negotiations, lawyers close to the litigation told the Los Angeles Times newspaper that about 45 lawsuits are now moving toward settlement.
"We hope that victims in these cases hang tough and insist on the disclosure of secret church documents, so Catholics and citizens can learn which church officials actively put kids at risk by keeping known predators in parishes," said Mary Grant, western regional director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.
Posted by kshaw at January 6, 2006 05:10 PM