LOS ANGELES (CA)
City News Service
January 23, 2019
A young man who alleges he was sexually abused by a pastor at the Catholic church he attended in Covina settled his lawsuit against the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, attorneys told a judge Tuesday.
The plaintiff, identified only as John CJ Doe, alleged child sexual abuse and negligence. The lawyers informed Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Holly Kendig that the case was resolved, but no terms were divulged. Kendig heard pretrial motions last week prior to the settlement.
The suit was filed in May 2015 and also named as defendants St. Louise de Marillac Church and the Rev. Chris Cunningham. The plaintiff alleged that Cunningham abused him in 2001 and 2002 when Doe was 12 and 13 years old.
Cunningham served at St. Lawrence Martyr Catholic Church in Redondo Beach from 1998 to 2001 and is accused of abuse there.
The archdiocese issued a statement regarding the Covina settlement.
“The archdiocese did not know of any allegation of sexual misconduct by Father Cunningham until 2015, when the initial claim was filed, and was not aware of the additional claims until recently advised by plaintiffs’ counsel,” the statement read. “Father Cunningham has been inactive and out of ministry since 2005 after the archdiocese received allegations of improper boundary violations concerning Father Cunningham in August 2005.”
The matter was investigated according to archdiocese policy and an announcement concerning the allegations was made at Father Cunningham’s parish informing the parish community, the archdiocese added.
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