SEATTLE (WA)
Komo News [Seattle, WA]
July 12, 2024
By Joel Moreno
Judge to decide if Catholic Church must release documents in priest abuse case
Efforts to uncover the extent of sexual abuse by Catholic priests will hinge on the decision by a judge on whether the church will have to turn over documents sought by Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson.
A court hearing is set for Friday afternoon as Ferguson seeks to compel the release of evidence pertaining to the sexual abuse of children by potentially dozens of priests.
Last summer, the attorney general began his investigation when he sent subpoenas to the archbishops of the dioceses in Seattle, Yakima and Spokane. Ferguson said they refused to share any documents that were not already publicly available, and in May he filed a petition in King County Superior Court to compel the Archdiocese of Seattle to comply with his subpoenas.
Church leaders have expressed surprise at the legal challenges. Archbishop Paul Etienne of Seattle has said that he has been working with investigators ever since Ferguson requested the files last summer.
The archdiocese has previously released the names of 83 priests who it said are credibly accused of committing sexual abuse, but not the files behind those names.JOIN THE CONVERSATION (7)
Ferguson wants to see if the church used charitable trust funds to cover up sexual abuse by priests. The archdiocese has claimed religious exemptions.
by Joel Moreno, KOMO News ReporterFri, July 12th 2024 at 12:44 PMUpdated Fri, July 12th 2024 at 12:54 PM
A pivotal decision could be made on Friday at the King County Courthouse as to whether the Catholic Church will be compelled to release documents on the sexual abuse of children by priests. (KOMO News)
Efforts to uncover the extent of sexual abuse by Catholic priests will hinge on the decision by a judge on whether the church will have to turn over documents sought by Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson.
A court hearing is set for Friday afternoon as Ferguson seeks to compel the release of evidence pertaining to the sexual abuse of children by potentially dozens of priests.
Last summer, the attorney general began his investigation when he sent subpoenas to the archbishops of the dioceses in Seattle, Yakima and Spokane. Ferguson said they refused to share any documents that were not already publicly available, and in May he filed a petition in King County Superior Court to compel the Archdiocese of Seattle to comply with his subpoenas.
Church leaders have expressed surprise at the legal challenges. Archbishop Paul Etienne of Seattle has said that he has been working with investigators ever since Ferguson requested the files last summer.
The archdiocese has previously released the names of 83 priests who it said are credibly accused of committing sexual abuse, but not the files behind those names.JOIN THE CONVERSATION (7)
Ferguson wants to see if the church used charitable trust funds to cover up sexual abuse by priests. The archdiocese has claimed religious exemptions.