Church Litigation News 01/13/2023
Jan 15, 2023(January 11) Lawsuit Filed Against Former West Lafayette Pastor Accused Of Mishandling Child Sex Abuse
The Department of Justice has appealed a verdict that found the government liable for the 2017 shooting at a Sutherland Springs, Texas, church and awarded the victims' families $230 million, a move critics said could hand a victory to the gun lobby and undermine gun safety laws.
In its appeal brief filed Monday, the law enforcement agency argued that under Texas law, the U.S. government should not be held responsible for the shooting.
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(January 11) Kansas Clergy Sex Abuse Investigation Reports 188 Clergy Members Suspected Of Crimes
Kansas authorities investigating clerical sex abuse have identified 188 Catholic and Society of St. Pius X clergy members who are suspected of committing various crimes, according to a report released following a four-year-long investigation.
No charges have resulted from the investigation because the statute of limitations on the cases has expired or the accused priests are deceased.
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(January 10) Multiple Women Sue Christian Organization For Alleged Abuse, Coverup: 'A Source Of Anxiety And Depression'
Five women in California have filed a lawsuit alleging that a nondenominational Christian organization covered up instances of child sexual abuse and exerted financial pressure on members to the extent that some took their own lives.
The lawsuit filed late last month names the five plaintiffs as sisters Darleen Diaz, 33, and Bernice Perez, 31. Ashley Ruiz, 31, Salud Gonzelez, 30, and Elena Peltola, 23, are also named.
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(January 10) Another Lawsuit Filed Against Maine Catholic Church Alleges Sexual Abuse In 1970s
PORTLAND (WGME) -- Another lawsuit has been filed against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland, alleging sexual abuse.
Mary Banks, a former Cumberland resident, filed a suit alleging former Priest Renal C. Halle at St. John's Catholic Church in Bangor sexually assaulted her while she was a member of the diocese's catholic youth organization.
The diocese is facing multiple new lawsuits after Maine lifted its statute of limitations on sex crimes.
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