MAINE
Portland Press Herald
BY DENNIS HOEY STAFF WRITER
dhoey@pressherald.com | @DennisHoey | 207-791-6365
Six men who claim they were sexually abused more than 35 years ago by a Roman Catholic priest at parishes in Maine where they were altar boys have filed individual lawsuits against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland.
Copies of the complaints were provided to the Portland Press Herald on Monday by the plaintiffs’ attorney, Mitchell Garabedian of Boston.
Supporters of the men plan to hold a press conference in front of the diocese office in Portland Tuesday to discuss the lawsuits.
The six civil complaints were filed Nov. 20 in Cumberland County Superior Court in Portland. Garabedian said Brett Baber of Bangor will serve as his clients’ local attorney.
In the lawsuits, the plaintiffs allege that they were abused by the Rev. James P. Vallely between 1958 and 1977. All the men were altar boys at the time and ranged in age from 8 to 15 when the abuse allegedly occurred.
The plaintiffs are now between the ages of 46 and 59.
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