January 12, 2006

6 allege abuse by 3 priests

OREGON
Statesman Journal

ALAN GUSTAFSON
Statesman Journal

January 12, 2006

Six adult siblings -- three women and three men -- filed suit Wednesday accusing three now-deceased priests of sexually abusing them in the late 1960s and early 1970s when they were children.

The plaintiffs, ranging in age from 43 to 52, live in Salem, Keizer, Falls City, Amity and Sherwood. The suit identifies them only with initials.

They are seeking a total of $19.5 million, citing enduring emotional pain and suffering left by childhood sexual abuse. They say the abuse was inflicted by the Rev. Bernard Harris; his brother, the Rev. James Harris; and the Rev. Maurice Grammond.

Grammond, who died in 2002, left behind a long string of alleged abuse victims. He has been named in other priest-abuse lawsuits, which remain unsettled because of the 2004 bankruptcy filing of the Portland Archdiocese.

Posted by kshaw at January 12, 2006 07:06 AM