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	US Catholic Church in Record Abuse Deal Radio New Zealand [Los Angeles CA] July 15, 2007 http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/latest/200707151734/us_catholic_church_in_record_abuse_deal The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles Has Agreed to Pay $us660 Million to 500 Victims of Sexual Abuse Dating Back As Far As the 1940s in the Largest Compensation Deal of Its Kind in the United States, the Plaintiffs' Lawyers Said The settlement, which means victims will receive more than $US1 million each, is the largest from the Catholic Church in recent years, following many cases in which victims sought financial compensation for suffering abuse from priests. The case was scheduled to go to trial on Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court, focusing on 12 plaintiffs who accused former priest Clinton Hagenbach of molesting them. Mr Hagenbach died 20 years ago. Had the case gone to trial, lawyers had sought to put Cardinal Roger Mahony, Archbishop of Los Angeles, in the uncomfortable position of testifying about the Church's response to abuses dating from the 1940s until the 1990s. Because the criminal statute of limitations has expired, victims in California and elsewhere have brought lawsuits against the Church over the issue. The judge hearing the case would have to approve the settlement, which a party of the case, who did not want to be named, put at $US660 million. A lawyer for the Church was not available for comment. David Clohessy, national director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, said the deal was by far the largest group settlement with the Catholic Church, although a handful of plaintiffs have received greater amounts on an individual basis than each is to receive from this settlement. "It is never about the money," Mr Clohessy said. "Victims want healing, prevention, closing, accountability." The diocese is expected to sell property to raise the settlement funds. The Los Angeles Times has estimated that the Archdiocese has real estate holdings worth more than $US4 billion. Several US Catholic diocese with less substantial holdings have filed for bankruptcy protection in wake of the abuse scandal. The Archdiocese also settled 46 cases in December for $US60 million.
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