Fr. William Michael Burke
Named as an abusive priest in one of two massive lawsuits filed against the Diocese of Rockville Centre in 2003. Accused of abusing an elementary school student in the 1970s, starting when Burke was a deacon. Burke died in a house fire in 1995. Lawsuits filed in 8/19: claims of abuse in 1972 of a 7-year-old at St. Lawrence School in Sayville; claims of abuse, along with Rev. Alfred Soave, of a child, ages 8-14, at St. Andrews in Sag Harbor, 1974-79. On the diocese’s list of accused in 3/21.
Return to main database page. See abbreviations and posting policy. Send corrections.
Our Database of Publicly Accused does not state or imply that individuals facing allegations are guilty of a crime or liable for civil claims. The reports contained in the database are merely allegations. The U.S. legal system presumes that a person accused of or charged with a crime is innocent until proven guilty. Similarly, individuals who may be defendants in civil actions are presumed not to be liable for such claims unless a plaintiff proves otherwise. Admissions of guilt or liability are not typically a part of civil or private settlements. For more information, see our posting policy.