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	Pueblo Man Dropped by Law Firm Suing Diocese, Marianists By Patrick Malone Pueblo Chieftain [Pueblo CO] February 28, 2007 http://www.chieftain.com/metro/1172653200/6 A Miami law firm will no longer represent one of the former Roncalli High School students who is suing the local Catholic diocese and a religious order over allegations of sexual abuse by a teacher. Jeff Herman of Herman & Mermelstein said Tuesday that the firm is through representing Thomas Monroe. The announcement came on the heels of a Denver newspaper's revelation that a DVD recording of Monroe calls into question the validity of his allegations. Monroe is one of 22 men who are suing the Catholic Diocese of Pueblo and the Marianist religious order. The men allege that Brother William Mueller sexually abused them while he was a teacher at the all-boys high school between 1966 and its closure in 1971. Mueller faces similar allegations in Missouri and Texas. He voluntarily left the Marianist order in 1986 and now resides in San Antonio. Monroe, 53, alleged in his lawsuit that Mueller, a band instructor, molested him during private band lessons while Monroe was a freshman at Roncalli in 1968. Monroe claimed that Mueller had him remove his pants under the guise that it would be less constrictive on his breathing and allow him to perform better on the trombone. Monroe claimed that the brother fondled him and masturbated. Monroe's allegation differs from most of the other suits, which accuse Mueller of cornering students by convincing them to participate in an experiment before subduing them with ether and molesting them. Monroe was one of only two plaintiffs in the Roncalli cases who filed suits using his actual name. Each of the plaintiffs is identified either as "John Doe" or by their initials. On Sept. 22, 2005, Monroe and Herman held a press conference on the steps of the Pueblo County Judicial Building to announce Monroe's suit. On the same day, Monroe reportedly made phone calls to his ex-wife, which she recorded. According to The Denver Post, Monroe said on the recordings that he felt badly for "real victims who are not getting help," because "I may get a million bucks, and these real victims are getting nothing but more shame." Herman would not comment on whether the recordings motivated his firm to drop Monroe as a client. In a motion to withdraw as Monroe's lawyer, Herman cites "irreconcilable differences" between the firm and its client as the basis for the withdrawal. Monroe also is facing criminal charges of theft for allegedly collecting rent from several tenants who occupied houses that he didn't own. He formerly was a counselor, until the state of Colorado stripped him of his license in 2000. Herman said his firm continues to litigate the cases against the diocese and the Marianists for its remaining 21 clients.
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