Lawsuit Filed against Archdiocese by Man Who Claims He Was Sexually Abused by Priest

By Stephanie Baumer
KMOV
October 20, 2015

http://www.kmov.com/story/30307226/lawsuit-filed-against-archdiocese-by-man-who-claims-he-was-sexually-abused-by-priest

A lawsuit has been filed against the Archdiocese of St. Louis by a man who claims he was sexually abused between 1977 and 1981.

The lawsuit alleges that Father Leroy Valentine sexually abused the plaintiff while he was a student at the Church of the Immacolata.

According to the lawsuit, Father Valentine has been accused of childhood sexual abuse multiple times in the past and resigned as an associate pastor at St. Thomas the Apostle in 2002 after another child sexual abuse allegation. In 2013, Archbishop Robert Carlson stated that an allegation of child sexual abuse against Father Valentine was found to be credible.

“I approached the Archdiocese multiple times for help and tried to get assistance without getting lawyers involved,” the plaintiff, called John Doe 121 in the lawsuit, said in a statement. “Filing a lawsuit was my last resort and due to their inaction.”

In addition to the Archdiocese, Father Valentine and Archbishop Carlson were also named in the lawsuit.