BUFFALO (NY)
WJET TV
Jun 18, 2019
A man in Buffalo New York speaks openly for the first time about sexual abuse suffered at the hands of a priest, also naming Erie’s Bishop Emeritus Donald Trautman.
During today’s news conference, James Botlinger alleged Father Michael Freeman sexually
abused him as a minor from 1983 to 1987, while a member of the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo.
During that news conference, Bishop Donald Trautman was mentioned as someone who had
been told at least two times about Father Freeman’s abusive behavior.
Botlinger also mentioned that he had met Trautman in the personal residence of Freeman, after being alerted about his behavior.
Botlinger’s lawyer saying that the compensation fund offered him 650 thousand dollars, but Botlinger turned it down to bring his case to the courts.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.