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	Still No Verdict in Diocese Sex Abuse Suit By Ann Givens Newsday [Mineola NY] May 17, 2007 http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/ny-lisex0518,0,1149912.story?coll=ny-top-headlines Excitement swept through a Mineola courtroom Thursday morning when the jury in a civil sex abuse case against the Diocese of Rockville Centre sent a note to the judge that suggested a verdict was finally near, on the seventh day of deliberations. The note asked whether the jury would be permitted to give a portion of its award in the case to a Long Island charity that works to prevent child sexual abuse. But despite speculation that the case was nearly over, the jury was silent for the rest of the day. Six hours later, state Supreme Court Justice R. Bruce Cozzens had to send jurors home again with no verdict. He told the court that it's the longest he's ever seen a jury out in his cases. Jurors were expected to resume deliberations again today at 9:30 a.m. The plaintiffs, now in their early 20s, are suing the Rev. Thomas Haggerty, St. Raphael's Church in East Meadow, the Diocese of Rockville Centre and former youth minister Matthew Maiello for $150 million. They say Haggerty and diocese officials failed to see the warning signs in Maiello, who raped them later. Brian Davey, a lawyer for Haggerty and the diocese, has said there is no way Haggerty or others could have known what was going on, as even the victims' parents were in the dark. Maiello, formerly of Lynbrook, served more than two years in prison. Newsday is not identifying the plaintiffs because they are the victims of sex crimes.
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