Lawsuit against Priest Adjourned until August
By Johnathan Hogan
A motion hearing to dismiss a lawsuit filed by a former Central Michigan University student against the former priest at St. Mary's University Parish has been adjourned until August 26. The defendant's lawyers requested more time to receive and review information from the plaintiff, Megan Winans. Winans is suing Father Denis Heames for alleged abuse that occurred while the two had a sexual relationship between 2012 and 2014. The lawsuit was filed January 14. A new lawsuit was submitted after Heames was removed as a defendant from the original lawsuit, said a courthouse official. The lawsuit claims Heames committed battery, defamation, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The lawsuit names the Roman Catholic Dioceses of Saginaw as a defendant, alleging negligent supervision and retention. The diocese and St. Mary's, are also being sued for vicarious liability. The lawsuit also names Trudy McCaffery. The motion to dismiss the lawsuit was filed last April by the church and diocese. The church claims Winans consented to all sexual contact and there was insufficient information to support the accusations. Winans claimed in the lawsuit Heames used his status as a priest to mislead her into a sexual relationship, and asked her to keep it a secret. Shortly after, Heames hired Winans as a media intern to work closely and avoid suspicion. Winans claimed she was removed from her position after Heames ended the relationship. Winans also claimed both Heames and McCaffery told other parishioners she had initiated the relationship and attempted to seduce him. Winans says in the suit Heames engaged in sexual contact against her will on multiple occasions, and that she feared rejecting him due to his status as a priest and a "messenger of God."
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