Catholic Officials Lose 2 Court Rulings

SNAP
February 13, 2014

http://www.snapnetwork.org/mo_catholic_officials_lose_2_court_rulings

Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314-566-9790 cell, SNAPclohessy@aol.com)

Over the past two weeks, St. Louis Catholic officials have lost important court rulings in two similar but unrelated wrongful death lawsuits stemming from alleged clergy sex crimes.

In one, the archdiocese lost its bid to throw out a suit charging that a young man killed himself in 2009 because he was molested by a priest, Fr. Bryan Kuchar. We are grateful that these brave parents may get their day in court.

And in the other case, the archdiocese lost in a bid to get one of its insurers to pay for a clergy sex abuse settlement stemming from a victim's 2003 suicide. He was molested by Fr. Michael S. McGrath.

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We urge anyone who may have seen, suspected or suffered the two priests' crimes to get help and call police. And we urge relatives of clergy sex abuse victims to explore their legal options, both civil and criminal.