Diocese of Crookston - Suit in Judge’s Hands

Crookston Times
September 26, 2017

http://www.crookstontimes.com/news/20170925/diocese-of-crookston---suit-in-judges-hands

Marben has until Dec. 19 to rule on suit brought forth by Vasek against Bishop Hoeppner

A northwest Minnesota judge has less than three months to rule on a lawsuit accusing the Diocese of Crookston and its bishop of covering up abuse of a man who reported being sexually abused by one of their priests more than 40 years ago. District Judge Kurt Marben has until December 19, 2017 to make a decision in the case involving Ron Vasek, a parishioner in the Tabor Area who says he was abused by former Msgr. Roger Grundhaus when he was 16 years old while on a trip to Ohio in 1971.

The lawsuit against Diocese Bishop Michael Hoeppner accuse him of coercion and inflicting emotional distress. Vasek told the Grand Forks Herald that he agreed to drop the coercion charge against Hoeppner in exchange for a copy of the letter Hoeppner asked him to sign in October 2015 that recanted his allegations of abuse against Grundhaus. The remaining count against Hoeppner, accusing him of inflicting emotional distress, has not been settled.

The five counts specifically involving the Diocese, which include two nuisance counts, one count of negligence, one count of negligent supervision and one count of negligent retention will be decided by Judge Marben.