Archbishop Nienstedt Deposition Video, Transcript Released

By Mike Durkin
Fox 9
April 22, 2014

http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/story/25308741/archbishop-nienstedt-deposition-video-transcript-released

[Deposition of Archbishop John Nienstedt]

The 202-page transcript from the deposition of Archbishop John Nienstedt was released Tuesday by the St. Paul law firm Jeff Anderson and Associates.

THE BULLET POINTS

- Nienstedt said he hasn't disciplined anyone for the mishandling of abuse cases

- Rev. Kevin McDonough was responsible for problem priest notifications

- Nienstedt admitted to confirming the presence of pornography on Father Jon Shelley’s computer, but couldn't tell if it involved adolescents or adults. He did not report the discovery to police.

In 4 hours of testimony on April 2, Nienstedt gave a statement and answered questions about how officials in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis handled allegations of sexual abuse by priests.

TRANSCRIPT: Deposition of Archbishop John Nienstedt

“It really reflects, in real time, the problem that exists at it is today,” St. Paul attorney Jeff Anderson said in a news conference Tuesday. “This is not about what has been in the past. This captured a harsh reality that the promises and the pledges made by this archbishop and his predecessor were broken...We’re alarmed, we’re sad and we’re scared, the more we hear and the more we see.”

ABRUPT ENDING

Anderson said Nienstedt ended the deposition abruptly by walking out when asked the following question: "Why not just turn over these files that you know to be credibly accused to the professionals, to law enforcement?"

A spokesperson for the archdiocese explained that Nienstedt did not "walk out of the deposition," as Anderson claimed, but that the deposition had simply run past its 4-hour time budget.

REASON FOR DEPOSITION

Nienstedt's deposition was a response to a lawsuit filed by an alleged victim who claims he was sexually abused by former priest Tom Adamson between 1976 and 1977 when he was assigned to a church in St. Paul Park. Adamson is accused of abusing dozens of boys and was shuffled from parish to parish.