MILWAUKEE (WI)
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
By Annysa Johnson of the Journal Sentinel
Oct. 23, 2013
In a major victory for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, a federal judge has ruled that a sex abuse victim, who was paid $80,000 in an earlier settlement, cannot seek additional compensation in the church’s bankruptcy.
U.S. District Judge Rudolph T. Randa on Tuesday dismissed the claim of the victim, a deaf man molested by the late Father Lawrence Murphy, who alleged the archdiocese lied to him in meditation to get him to sign the settlement. If it stands, Randa’s ruling could force the dismissal of nearly 100 of the 570-plus claims filed in the bankruptcy.
Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome Listecki was not available for comment. But Jerry Topczewski, his chief of staff, welcomed the ruling as “fair.”
This is “another step forward…toward a plan of reorganization that will allow the Archdiocese of Milwaukee to emerge from bankruptcy,” Topczewski said in an email.
Michael Finnegan, whose firm represents most of the victims in the bankruptcy, including this man, called the ruling a disappointment and said they are contemplating filing an appeal.
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