Sexual Abuse Survivor Files Lawsuit Against Priest in India

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Oct 262016
 

While sexual abuse scandals have already rocked religious groups, another story surfaced about the advocacy of a young woman from Minnesota trying to prevent a priest in India from abusing young children. Twenty-six year old, Megan Peterson, now living in Queens, filed a lawsuit against a diocese in India in her bid to stop the pedophile priest from harming children.

It was in April 2016 when the issue was reported online. At that time, she said that the suit will be filed on her behalf by her attorney, Jeff Anderson. What made this case unique and interesting is the fact that this is the first time a lawsuit is filed in a federal court against a diocese located in a foreign country such as India. The lawsuit claims that by reinstating the convicted priest to the ministry, the Diocese of Ootacamund is exposing the children to danger.

Peterson, herself, was a victim of Rev. Joseph Jeyapaul 11 years ago while the latter was then a priest in the Diocese of Crookston. It was in 2005, at the age of 14 when she was molested and sexually abused by Jeyapaul.

 

The Predicament

She was born and raised in Minnesota where she became an altar girl and an active member of the choir. According to Peterson, it was only within weeks when the priest raped her in the parish office. Her ordeal was followed with more sexual abuses which lasted for almost a year and Father Joseph Jeyapaul even had the boldness to blame her for these abuses, saying that it was her who made him do it.

The priest was with the diocese in Crookston City from 2004 to 2005 and aside from Peterson, there was another teenage girl who was also sexually abused by Jeyapaul. However, before a case was filed then, the priest already went back to India.

It was in 2012 when Jeyapaul was extradited to the United States to face the charges against him for sexually abusing the two girls but he was only tried for the rape of the other girl. The case about the abuse of Peterson was dropped as part of the plea agreement. Moreover, the priest was only sentenced to one year in prison, a sentence he quickly got over with since it included the period he was in jail during the trial. After serving his sentence, he was deported back to India and given a suspension of one year.

But what pushed Peterson to file a case against the diocese in India was when she learned in February that with the recommendation of the Bishop and the permission of Pope Francis, Jeyapaul was reinstated to the ministry in less than a year.

With the knowledge that this man will again do the same thing with other children and be active as a priest, Peterson made the move to file a lawsuit against the diocese and the bishop. She expressed her desire to save the children in India to suffer the same predicament she had.

In 2011, Peterson also sued the Diocese of Crookston and was awared $750,000. But the Minnesota woman said that it mattered more to her that Jeyapaul will not be able to harm children anymore.

 

Reference

http://www.fox9.com/news/209451598-story

 

 Posted by at 3:24 pm

Two California Women Bring Lawsuits Against Bill Cosby

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Dec 102014
 

On December 2, 2014, Judy Huth of Riverside County, California brought forth a lawsuit against Bill Cosby for childhood sexual abuse. On Wednesday, December 10, 2014, Tamara Green of Fallbrook, California brought forward a lawsuit against Mr. Cosby for defamation of character. This lawsuit was filed in Massachusetts near the home of the comedian.

According to the National Law Review, “Tamara Green, who accused Cosby of sexually assaulting her in the early 1970s, filed a lawsuit on Wednesday in U.S. District Court for Massachusetts, claiming the comedian, through his lawyer and publicist, has defamed her by denying the assault ever happened …

“… On Dec. 2, another woman, Judy Huth, sued Cosby over alleged childhood sexual abuse. Huth, who lives in Riverside County, Calif., claims she met him in 1974 at a film shoot when she was 15 years old. He invited her and a friend to his tennis club, she alleges, where he offered them alcohol, led them to the Playboy Mansion and then sexually molested her in one of the mansion’s suites.”

 

 Posted by at 4:50 pm

Another Priest Sex Abuse Lawsuit in Orlando FL

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Aug 132014
 

A 52-year-old man has come forward alleging sexual abuse by clergy in the name of a former priest, Father William Authenrieth, of the All Souls Church in Sanford.

According to WFTV, “This week, the unnamed plaintiff filed a lawsuit against the Diocese of Orlando for the alleged abuse that happened when the victim was a teenager.

“Attorney Adam Horowitz said this is the fifth lawsuit he’s filed against Father William Authenrieth, who is living in a retirement community in Massachusetts. However it’s the seventh lawsuit filed against Authenrieth in all …

“…Horowitz said his client finally came forward at the urging of Pope Francis.”

 

 Posted by at 12:00 pm

More Priest Abuse Lawsuits in Minnesota

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Nov 202013
 

A treatment center in Minnesota for abusive priests is the focus of a recent lawsuit. A man being called “Doe 27” claims to have been abused by retired priest, Rev. Francis Hoefgen who is now 63 years old.

According to the Star Tribune, “The center in Silver Spring, Md., has been a destination for the treatment of Minnesota Catholic monks and priests accused of sexual abuse of children, other sexual misconduct and addiction. The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville also are named in the suit …

“…The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Dakota County, involves the Rev. Francis Hoefgen, now 63. Coupled with a separate clergy sex abuse suit filed Monday, the archdiocese has been sued at least 21 times since the Child Victims Act lifted the statute of limitations for child sex abuse cases and gave past victims a three-year window to bring previously barred claims.

“Susan Gibbs, a spokeswoman for St. Luke Institute, said she had not seen the lawsuit involving Hoefgen and could not comment. The archdiocese issued a statement saying it was investigating the claims.”

 Posted by at 1:57 pm

Concord California Teacher Charged with Molesting 11 Students

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Jul 082013
 

Both criminal and civil charges have been filed against a Mount Diablo school district teacher in Concord, California. The 4th and 5th grade school teachers has been jailed and charged with 91 felony counts of molesting 11 former students between 2006 and 2013.

According to the Mercury News, “A lawsuit filed against the Mt. Diablo school district alleges that administrators ignored complaints of misconduct by Concord elementary schoolteacher Joseph Andrew Martin years before police began investigating him for child molestation.

“In a civil suit filed Monday morning against Martin, the school district and 10 unnamed mandated reporters, attorney Daniel Horowitz likens Woodside Elementary School teacher Joseph Andrew Martin’s classroom to Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch and writes that ‘numerous parents and teachers made reports to supervisors and other persons with both the ability and authority to protect the children and that these reports were largely ignored.’”

The teacher has pled not-guilty to all charges.

 

References

http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-courts/ci_23619460/lawsuit-alleges-mt-diablo-school-district-brushed-off

 

 Posted by at 11:39 am

Catholic Priest Sex Abuse Lawsuits Continue to Roll In

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Feb 252013
 

I started blogging about the Catholic priest sex abuse lawsuits in 2007 and the hits just keep rolling in. Another lawsuit was filed Monday in Pennsylvania against Catholic church leaders for allowing Brother Stephen Baker to have access to teenagers he allegedly sexually assaulted.

According to WKBN.com, “Johnstown, Pa. attorney Richard Serbin filed a lawsuit Monday in Blair County Court for three unnamed alleged sexual abuse victims, who were molested by Baker while they were students at Bishop McCort High School. Baker was a religious teacher, baseball coach and athletic trainer at Bishop McCort and held the same positions at Warren’s John F. Kennedy High School.

“Serbin said Monday in a phone interview he has more than three clients that Baker abused and said he would likely add more to the lawsuit. He also said he expects more to come forward throughout the process.”

And if this wasn’t enough, far across the U. S. map in Hawaii six men are suing the Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu having claimed to have been sexually abused as youths by five priests.

According to Pacific Business News, “One of the men, Greg Owen, a Big Island farmer, appeared at a news conference Thursday arranged by Honolulu law firm Rosenberg & McKay, which filed the lawsuit in First Circuit Court. The other five plaintiffs were not identified.”

Just last week the embattled Cardinal Roger Mahony was deposed about a different set of Catholic priest sex abuse cases. And, now he is in Rome helping to choose a new pope.

 Posted by at 5:01 pm

Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Brought Against Green Bay Catholic Diocese

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Jan 152008
 

The Catholic priest sexual abuse scandal continues, at least in Green Bay as a person named John Doe 119 has filed a lawsuit against a former priest and the diocese. According to the lawsuit, ex-priest John Patrick Feeney is named as the offender and the Green Bay Diocese is named as covering up the criminal behavior of the priest.

The lawsuit states that the Green Bay Diocese transferred a known child sexual predator to the Las Vegas diocese where the sexual abuse took place on a 13-year-old boy in 1984. The lawsuit states the church failed to protect its parishioners after it was discovered that Father Feeney had a diagnosable and untreatable sexual disorder.

 Posted by at 5:06 pm

Sex Abuse Lawsuit Against Mormon Church, Boy Scouts

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Oct 042007
 

A sexual abuse lawsuit against the Mormon Church and Boy Scouts of America is picking up steam as more men have come forward with similar allegations. Four more men have joined the previous two “Jack Does” in claiming abuse suffered at the hands of the same church and scout leader.

Timur Dykes, a former Mormon spiritual leader and scout leader and previously convicted sex offender is at the heart of this case as the one accused of sexual assault. Dykes has not been named as part of the lawsuit, however. The lawsuit is seeking $25 million in damages from the two organizations.

A spokesman for the Boy Scouts of America defended the organization saying that they work hard to protect the boy scouts from predators. Two years ago, an official with the Boy Scouts who headed up a national task force to protect children from sexual abuse was himself convicted of possessing and distributing child pornography.

 Posted by at 8:54 am

Advocate Groups Stop Pepper Spray of Disabled Youth Inmates

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Sep 142007
 

Advocacy groups Texas Appleseed and Advocacy Incorporated have filed a lawsuit against the Texas Youth Commission over using pepper spray on young inmates with mental disabilities. The lawsuit was brought forth on behalf of three 15-year-olds who have had pepper spray used on them or been threatened with its use.

According to the advocacy groups the use of pepper spray has gone up dramatically this year and unfairly targets kids with disabilities who tend to act out more. Pepper spray was introduced as a policy as a method of last resort, but the practical use, according to the lawsuit has been one of intimidation and punishment rather than rehabilitation.

 Posted by at 3:16 pm

Lindsay Lohan Looks Personal Injury Lawsuit in Face

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Aug 152007
 

Tracie Rice has teamed up with a couple of California personal injury lawyers to sue the troubled actress Lindsay Lohan for assault and infliction of emotional distress. The claim states that Miss Lohan chased Rice through the city streets of Los Angeles and could have cause physical injury or death.

Michelle Peck was driving the car that Rice was in before the high-speed chase ensued. Lohan was later arrested for DUI and booked on possession of narcotics as well. Rice is asking for unspecified damages in the lawsuit.

 Posted by at 4:46 pm