Attorneys Say Crookston Diocese Were Aware Former Priest Was Threat

By Cynthia Johnson
The Wdaz
June 24, 2013

http://www.wdaz.com/event/article/id/18367/group/homepage/

Attorney Jeff Anderson holds photo of Fr. James Porter - See more at: http://www.wdaz.com/event/article/id/18367/group/homepage/#sthash.CZ7aXIHF.dpuf

[with video]

[Porter documents]

[Porter timeline]

[Porter laicization letter to the pope]

[Original laicization to the pope]

Attorneys for a woman suing the catholic diocese of crookston released internal church documents today that warned leaders one of their priests was a threat.

Attorneys for a woman suing the catholic diocese of crookston released internal church documents today that warned leaders one of their priests was a threat.

The documents date from 1967 to 1970. They are communications among the bishops of Fall River, Massachusetts, Crookston, Minnesota and other church officials. The documents are letters about Revered James Porter, who was removed from the priesthood in 1974 and in 1993 was convicted of molesting 28 children. He was a priest at St. Phillip Parish in Bemidji in 1969 when the victim, who is known as Doe 4, was allegedly sexually abused by Porter. Even though Porter was only at that parish for 16 months, Anderson says that 18 kids, who are now adults, have come forward saying they were abused while students at St. Phillips. The Catholic Diocese of Crookston says it plans to release a statement about the lawsuit Tuesday.