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	Supreme Court Decision May Benefit Clergy Abuse Victim Lawsuits By Danielle Kaeding Fox 21 June 29, 2010 http://www.fox21online.com/news/supreme-court-decision-may-benefit-clergy-abuse-victim-lawsuits WASHINGTON (WPR) The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to hear a Vatican appeal in an Oregon case, which will allow a lawsuit pertaining to clergy sex abuse move forward there. A victims’ rights group says that will help a Wisconsin priest abuse case against top Vatican officials also move forward. The original lawsuit was filed eight years ago against the Holy See by a Seattle-area man, who says a priest molested him during the 1960’s. Peter Isely, Midwest Director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) says the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision not to hear the case means that Oregon’s District Court ruling stands. He says the high court’s refusal to hear the appeal will likely aid a federal lawsuit filed by a Wisconsin victim of clergy sex abuse in the Father Murphy case. The lawsuit alleges the Pope knew of sex abuse complaints involving Father Lawrence Murphy, who molested as many as 200 deaf boys. Isely says it’s another obstacle that’s being moved out of the way for victims to bring such cases into a court of law, “where depositions can be taken, witnesses, oaths, and documents can be obtained, and the truth about what’s going on with these cases of child sex abuse can be heard and ruled on.” However, Vatican Attorney Jeffrey Lena says the SNAP’s statement regarding the court’s action completely mischaracterizes the significance of the decision. Lena says the U.S. Supreme court only takes up 60 to 70 cases out of 8,000 requests every year. The Vatican Attorney says it doesn’t have any effect on other cases concerning clergy sex abuse or relate to anything happening in Wisconsin or anywhere else.
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