St Cloud Press Conference Today : Survivor Calls on Diocese of St. Cloud to Release List of 26 Priests Accused of Sexual Abuse of Minors

By Mike Bryant
Legal Examiner
January 2, 2014

http://stcloud.legalexaminer.com/uncategorized/st-cloud-press-conference-today-survivor-calls-on-diocese-of-st-cloud-to-release-list-of-26-priests-accused-of-sexual-abuse-of-minors/

What: At a press conference on Thursday, sexual abuse survivor Robert Ethen along with his attorneys will:

· Announce the filing of a civil lawsuit seeking the release of the list of credibly accused priests from the Diocese of St. Cloud.

· Abuse survivor Robert Ethen will speak publically about his abuse in the mid-1960s by Father James A. Thoennes and the necessity of releasing the list of credibly accused priests in the St. Cloud diocese.

· In 2003, the Diocese of St. Cloud admitted there were 26 priests who worked in the Diocese who had been accused of sexually molesting minors. By keeping its list a secret the lawsuit alleges that the Diocese has harmed and continues to harm the Plaintiff, who is unable to protect others from sexual abuse by priests. The lawsuit also alleges that by choosing not to release the list the Diocese endangers the public in the communities where these unknown priests live and work.

· Similar lists have been released by the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the Diocese of Winona, the Diocese of Duluth, and St. John’s

When: Thursday, January 2, 2014 at 1:00 PM

Where: Law Office of Bradshaw & Bryant, PLLC

1505 Division St.

Waite Park, MN 56387

Who: Robert Ethen, a survivor of sexual abuse by Father James A. Thoennes, a priest of the Diocese of St. Cloud. Jeff Anderson, a St. Paul, Minnesota sexual abuse attorney. Mike Bryant, a sexual abuse attorney based in the St. Cloud, Minnesota area.

Notes: Copies of the complaint will be available at www.andersonadvocates.com

Contact: Jeff Anderson: Office/651.227.9990 Cell/612.817.8665

Mike Bryant: Office/320.259.5414 Cell/800.359.0061