BishopAccountability.org
	Look Back: Bishop Dupre Scandal By Jennifer Colby WWLP May 21, 2010 http://www.wwlp.com/dpp/local_guide/look-back-bishop-dupre-scandal [with video] SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - One day after his resignation, Bishop Thomas Dupre was faced with allegations of sexual abuse. He would never truly ‘face’ the allegations, because that very same day he went into hiding. In February 2004, after nine years on the job, he unexpectedly resigned from his post, citing health reasons. The very next day, allegations surfaced that Dupre molested two men in the 1970s, when they were 12 and 16 years old. He was indicted on two counts of child rape, but prosecutors didn't pursue the charges because the statute of limitations had expired. The two victims also filed a civil lawsuit against the former Bishop, charging him with assault and battery and infliction of emotional distress. A settlement was finally reached in 2008, after years of negotiations, when lawyers for the Springfield Diocese settled with dozens of abuse victims and agreed to pay $7.7 million. Diocesan spokesman Mark Dupont told 22News that Dupre donated his own money to the fund. Two years before news of the scandal broke, Bishop Dupre sat down with 22News Reporter Dan Elias and spoke about the clergy abuse crisis. You can watch this interview by clicking on the media player. Since his resignation, Dupre’s whereabouts were unknown. Two weeks after his resignation, 22News traveled to Silver Springs, Maryland where it was rumored he was getting treatment at the Saint Luke Institute, which specializes in sex abuse among ministers in the Catholic Church, according to their website. The facility would not release the names of any patients. However, a green Buick with Massachusetts license plates, which matched the description of Dupre’s car, was found in the parking lot. Also, 22News cameras staked out the entrance to the facility and captured the image of a man who appears to be Dupre. You can also watch this video by clicking on the media player.
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