MAINE
Morning Sentinel
By Scott Dolan sdolan@pressherald.com
Staff Writer
The Maine Supreme Judicial Court has upheld a ruling in favor of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland in the case of an Augusta man who alleges he was sexually abused by a priest as a child. The lawsuit also alleges that the church did not disclose that the priest was later accused of abusing other children.
William Picher of Augusta accused the Rev. Raymond Melville of molesting him while he was a student at St. Mary’s School, from September 1986 to June 1988, while Melville was serving his initial assignment as assistant pastor at St. Mary’s Parish in Augusta.
Picher filed his complaint against the diocese in 2007, saying the diocese covered up knowledge of earlier abuse complaints against Melville that came to light after Picher was abused.
A Superior Court judge had ruled in favor of the diocese in August 2012 that it was not obligated to reveal the other abuse claims to Picher because he did not file his own complaint until years later. The Supreme Judicial Court, in its unanimous decision issued on Tuesday, denied Picher’s appeal of the lower court judge’s ruling.
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