Judge Orders Church Depositions to Remain Sealed

By Marge Pitrof
Milwaukee Public Radio
April 5, 2012

http://www.wuwm.com/news/wuwm_news.php?articleid=10208

A federal judge has sided with the Archdiocese of Milwaukee regarding the release of depositions. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Susan Kelley will not order investigators to publicly release statements given by top-ranking church officials about how they handled allegations of priests sexually abusing children decades ago.

Kelley says the depositions have already served their purpose, and making them public now could enable people to figure out the identity of survivors who want to remain anonymous.

The judge is overseeing the church's bankruptcy filing.

Peter Isely, spokesman for SNAP - a network of people sexually abused by priests, says Thursday's ruling shields the archdiocese from the shame it deserves for enabling clergy to continue assaulting children.