Newark Archdiocese Hires High-profile Defense Lawyer Amid Former Wyckoff Priest Investigation
By Jeff Green
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark has hired Michael Critchley, a high-profile criminal defense lawyer, as prosecutors continue to investigate recent activities of a priest who allegedly molested a 13-year-old boy more than a decade ago. In another development on Wednesday, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the New York archbishop who wields enormous influence among bishops worldwide, is closely following the case, his spokesman said. A spokesman for Archbishop John J. Myers Wednesday confirmed that Critchley, a widely respected lawyer known for winning his clients light sentences or outright acquittals, is representing the archdiocese for “additional legal help.” Critics have besieged the archdiocese since revelations surfaced that the Rev. Michael Fugee attended several youth retreats and extended pilgrimages in apparent disregard of an agreement he and a representative of Myers signed in 2007 with Bergen County prosecutors barring any activities with children. The prosecutor’s office immediately opened a new investigation. Jim Goodness, Myers’ spokesman, said Critchley will be assisting in the review of legal documents in the inquiry, but he will not be involved in a civil lawsuit from Illinois that claims a diocese Myers led there as a bishop failed to keep an alleged pedophile priest away from children. Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli said that his office has talked extensively with Critchley, adding that the lawyer has been “cooperative and forthright in his dealings with us.” Molinelli said they are working on an exchange of a “considerable amount of information,” but declined further comment. Critchley did not return multiple calls seeking comment on Wednesday. Fugee resigned from his two archdiocese office positions and the ministry last week, followed by the resignations of a pastor of a Monmouth County parish and two youth ministers there who had invited him on several youth ministry excursions. Victims’ advocates and several lawmakers, including state Sen. Barbara Buono, the leading Democratic contender for governor, have called for Myers to resign. Stephen Sweeney, the state Senate president, on Wednesday joined the chorus calling for Myers to step down, calling the allegations in the case “deeply disturbing.” Cardinal Dolan, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, has taken a high interest in recent media reports about the controversy, said his spokesman, Joe Zwilling. He has requested his staff to keep him abreast of any new developments, but as of now is not making any public statements about Myers or Fugee. Neither Dolan or the bishop’s conference has convened investigations or committees related to the matter. Myers has not directly addressed the investigation, but his spokesman has said that the archdiocese did not sanction Fugee’s involvement with children in Monmouth County and did not know about it until contacted by a Star-Ledger reporter in late April. Goodness has not commented on Fugee’s participation in youth activities with another parish in Nutley, which is within the archdiocesan territory. Goodness initially defended Fugee, saying the activities, which included hearing the confessions of minors, were allowed because he was always supervised. Myers will embark on a week-long trip to Poland on Thursday with several archdiocesan parishioners, including the Rev. Miroslaw Krol, pastor of a Linden church. Goodness said he was invited in January by Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz for an honorary Mass. The group also will travel together and visit a shrine and center dedicated to Pope John Paul II. The archbishop is expected to return to the U.S. late next week. Critchley has defended Catholic clerics in a number of cases. In 2011, he represented Monsignor Patrick Brown, pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Roman Catholic Church in Morris County, who was accused of using parish funds for lavish spending. Brown pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five months in prison. In 2002, Critchley defended the Rev. Bruno Ugliano, then chaplain at Rider College in Lawrenceville, who was accused in a civil lawsuit of abusing a teenage girl. The case was settled in 2004. He’s also known as a top criminal defense lawyer. In the mid-1980s, Critchley earned prosecutors’ respect when he defended Michael “Mad Dog” Taccetta, a Lucchese crime family figure who was charged with gambling, money laundering and extortion. He was acquitted after a 21-month trial. In 2009, Critchley’s client, Anthony Suarez, the mayor of Ridgefield, was acquitted of charges he accepted a bribe. Last year, Critchley represented embattled Assemblyman Robert Schroeder, R-Washington Township, in legal troubles resulting from his military-supply company. Fugee, 52, was convicted in 2003 of aggravated criminal sexual contact after being charged with groping a 13-year-old boy while he was assistant pastor of St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church in Wyckoff. The conviction was overturned on a technicality, but to avoid a second trial, Fugee agreed to serve two years probation and signed the agreement with prosecutors never supervise or minister to children, and to stay away from youth groups. Email: greenj@northjersey.com Twitter: Jeff_A_Green
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