MAINE
Bangor Daily News
By Judy Harrison, BDN Staff
Posted Jan. 05, 2016
BANGOR, Maine — Six men who claim they were sexually abused between 1956 and 1977 by the Rev. James Vallely, who is now deceased, have sued the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland claiming the bishop at the time knew the priest was abusive and fraudulently concealed it.
The complaints, dated Nov. 20, 2015, were filed in Cumberland County Superior Court, according to Mitchell Garabedian, the Boston attorney representing them.
The men are seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages. The Bangor Daily News is not naming them because they may be victims of sexual abuse.
Dave Guthro, spokesman for the diocese, declined Tuesday in an email to comment on the pending litigation.
“As always, [current] Bishop [Robert] Deeley encourages anybody who may have information about any case of sexual abuse of a minor by a church representative to contact civil authorities and Michael Magalski, director of the Office of Professional Responsibility for the Diocese of Portland,” Guthro said.
The diocese previously acknowledged there were credible abuse allegations against Vallely.
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