JACKSON (MS)
The Clarion-Ledger
By Jimmie E. Gates
jgates@clarionledger.com
The Catholic Diocese of Jackson will pay more than $5.1 million to settle six lawsuits involving 19 individuals who were sexually abused as children by priests or had loved ones who were abused.
Thursday's settlement announcement came after years of litigation and more than a year of mediation. It is the first such settlement of a diocese case in the state.
All the lawsuits involved alleged sexual abuse by priests occurring from the early 1960s to the early 1980s.
The church will pay $731,250 of its own money and the remainder of the $5,162,500 will be paid by church insurers.