BishopAccountability.org
	Priest Sues over Renewed Molestation Charges 0 By Kevin Martin Calgary Sun May 19, 2011 http://www.calgarysun.com/2011/05/19/priest-sues-over-renewed-molestation-charges Reviving molestation allegations against a Calgary Catholic priest who was cleared of any wrongdoing has triggered a $600,000 lawsuit against a lawyer. Fr. Newton Rodrigues is seeking damages against attorney Aires Rodrigues for online articles which suggest a cover-up in the molestation case. The defamation was repeated in e-mails the lawyer sent to southern Alberta Catholic parishes and to Bishop Fred Henry, the St. Bernadette’s church priest’s statement of claim says. The document, a copy of which was obtained Thursday by the Calgary Sun, says Aires Rodrigues triggered a police investigation in Ribandar, India, in August, 2004 into false allegations of molestation of a 13-year-old girl. “In September and October, 2004, both the girl and the girl’s mother filed numerous hand-written statements with the police indicating that the allegations were false,” the claim says. “The police investigation into Father Newton was later concluded and all charges against him were dropped.” But after the Indian lawyer was charged last fall with trespassing at the plaintiff’s then-Ribandar Parish church six years earlier, the allegations were revived. “In an effort to divert public attention on the eve of his trial, the defendant published ... a series of defamatory articles and blog postings in Goa, India,” the priest’s lawsuit says. The publications falsely suggested then-Goan state governor S.C. Jamir helped the priest “duck the law.” it says. It “falsely claimed that Father Newton was a child molester who had evaded justice solely because of a cover-up and political interference.” In his emails to Alberta, Aires Rodrigues suggested the Calgary priest avoided prosecution “through an ‘illegal’ closing of the police investigation and an escape to Canada,” the claim states. “The defamatory communications ... meant, and were intended to mean, that Father Newton was an admitted child molester and a threat to children.” The publications not only spread lies about the priest, but caused him to “fear physical attacks by mobs or individuals incited by the defendant’s false and defamatory allegations.” A statement of defence disputing the unproven allegations in the Calgary Court of Queen’s Bench claim has not yet been filed. Contact: kevin.martin@sunmedia.ca
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