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	Former Altar Boy Seeks Lien on Church Building Associated Press, carried in Chicago Tribune May 16, 2008 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-vt-priestsex-lien,0,731389.story BURLINGTON, Vt. - A former altar boy who won an $8.7 million judgment against the Diocese of Burlington in a priest sex case wants a lien on the Vermont church's headquarters to make sure it gets paid. The 40-year-old Lakewood, Colo., man's lawyer has filed for a writ of attachment on the diocese's North Avenue office building, which sits on land overlooking Lake Champlain. The property is valued at more than $11 million, according to municipal tax records. The Associated Press does not identify sexual assault victims by name without their consent. If the writ were granted, it would give the man a legal claim in case the church can't come up with the money to pay the award. The man's lawyer, Jerome F. O'Neill, said in court papers that the diocese has "no liability insurance, bond or other security known or reasonably believed to be available to satisfy a judgment." Diocesan officials say the church had a comprehensive liability policy with the United States Fidelity and Guaranty Co. from 1972 to 1978, but that they can't find their copy of the policy, so they are suing the insurer in hopes it will find the policy -- and pay for costs stemming from the sexual abuse lawsuits filed against the diocese. Now part of the St. Paul Travelers Companies, the company says it shouldn't have to cover costs if it can prove the church knew of past misconduct by priests but kept them on anyway. In the jury verdict returned Tuesday, jurors found the church had negligently supervised the Rev. Edward Paquette, who was hired despite reports that he had molested children in other states and an Indiana bishop's recommendation that he be assigned someplace where he wouldn't have contact with children. Church officials plan to appeal the verdict to the Vermont Supreme Court, diocese lawyer Tom McCormick said Friday. "They can't do anything on the writ of attachment unless the judgment is upheld," he said.
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