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Wednesday, February 4, 2009

News / Religion More Lawsuits Filed in Seattle/Alaska Catholic Sex-Abuse Scandal

Posted by Brendan Kiley on Wed, Feb 4, 2009 at 8:01 PM

The lawyers working on the Alaskan sex-abuse scandal—which, according to lawsuits, involves the current president of Seattle University and some of the most powerful Jesuits in the world—have just announced another round of lawsuits.

A (truncated) version of the press release that dropped today:

Twenty New Alaska Native Victims File Child Sex Abuse Lawsuits Against Jesuits, University President

Second High-Ranking Seattle U Official Accused of Cover-Up

Order's Highest Officer Faces Process Server on First Day In US

Victims Come Forward to Share Stories, Letters, Pictures, Documents With Public, Media

They Also Urge Order Leader to Extend His U.S. Trip to Investigate Plight of Hundreds of Jesuit Sex Abuse Victims

At a press conference, twenty new Alaska Native victims of childhood sexual abuse are announcing lawsuits alleging egregious sex crimes against children in small, remote Alaska Villages. The lawsuits also allege that:

- Another high-ranking Seattle University Official, Father Francis E. Case SJ, as well as current president Stephen J. Sundborg SJ, covered up sex abuse crimes against children,

- The highest ranking international Jesuit official, Father General Aldolfo Nicolas SJ, is responsible for allowing sex abuse in Alaska to continue, and

- Case, Sundborg and Nicolas had access to highly detailed files outlining sexual abuse and the dumping of perpetrator priests in Alaska.

The total number of new sex abuse lawsuits stemming from predator Jesuit priests, employees and volunteers in Alaska is 63.

Victims will be available for individual interviews and will provide photos, "love letters" from perpetrators, documents and other materials for the press to review and record.

The victims lived and were abused in Nulato, Hooper Bay, Stebbins, Chevak, Mountain Village, Nunam Iqua and St. Michael, Alaska.

The basics of the situation, as we know it so far, are in this week's paper*.

Updates after tomorrow's press conference.

Comments (17) RSS

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I read half of the article on the bus on the way home. Nice job Brendan.

Posted by Renton Mike on February 4, 2009 at 8:13 PM

Sexlaska!

Posted by Big Sven on February 4, 2009 at 8:17 PM

Sigh. This is, I think, the fourth SU official to be named in some kind of sex crime case since I enrolled at SU. What a lovely thing for the school to be known for while I'm attending.

Posted by Nick on February 4, 2009 at 8:25 PM

If there is ever a finding of guilt on these guys they will be the next in line to be promoted to a position in the Vatican by Ratzi.

Posted by Heather on February 4, 2009 at 8:30 PM

Why the hell aren't any of these people going to prison? The statute of limitations can't be up on all their crimes. This is conspiracy and racketeering. Somebody should be going to jail for this shit.

Posted by yucca flower on February 4, 2009 at 8:35 PM

Sadly, with the reputation of the Catholic Church being as it is, anyone connected to this case will have their reputation tarnished, regardless of whether the charges are substantiated. Sundborg has done a lot of great things for SU and the greater Seattle community. I highly doubt he knowingly allowed abuse to occur under his watch.

Posted by Seattleite on February 4, 2009 at 8:46 PM

I love it when religion gets sued!

Posted by sgiffy on February 4, 2009 at 9:16 PM

"Cock loft"? Is this Chicago Catholic architecture?

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/photos/pop…

Posted by Amelia on February 4, 2009 at 10:45 PM

Hey, Brendan, here's a challenge next time you attend the press conference or print their press releases without scrutiny.

Ask the lawyers who feed you content to provide convincing proof trying to link any of this to Sundborg.

Put up or shut up.

Posted by Gullible? on February 4, 2009 at 11:06 PM

Read the story. Then send me your email address and I'll email you a few depositions. You got other questions, we can go over my notes.

I've already put up—it's all there, pal.

Posted by Brendan Kiley on February 4, 2009 at 11:55 PM

Brendan,

I was reading your article in The Stranger today on my bus ride home from work, and for a brief minute I forgot that this article was surrounded by the ads for massage and tattoo parlors of our dear humble hometown newspaper. I seriously forgot that I was not reading the New York Times. Utmost props,

-Matt

Posted by matt; on February 5, 2009 at 1:09 AM

When you were putting up Brendan, where did you ask the least scruitinizg question of the plantiffs attorneys? What element of the story involved any independent reporting aside from passing on material you were given? At least the Seattle Times got the plantiffs attorney to admit the naming of Sunborg and having the press conference on the edge of the SU campus is an attempt to go after SU's assets. You missed that angle

Whyno criminal charges? Because the plantiffs attorneys are after cash not time. The victims end up getting exploited twice.

Posted by Brendan's Journalism Prof on February 5, 2009 at 8:25 AM

@6: The only part of your post I take issue with is the notion that Sundborg has done any good at all for SU. I suppose I could provide a short list...

-The decision to attempt to "relive the glory days" by returning the school to Division 1 athletics despite overwhelming dissent from the students and faculty. (Yes, the professors voted on it, voted no, and were ignored. We, of course, were never asked -- our dissent was only vocalized after the decision had been made because that's when we heard about it.)

-Putting that gigantic fucking tent on one of the few nice lawns on campus, thus destroying the grass for the entirety of the academic year. Maybe not as bad as the first point, but it sure sucked.

-Allowing classes in the Arts & Sciences department to slowly disappear, minimizing the pool of available courses and overcrowding the ones that are left -- throwing that money instead toward making sure our fucking basketball team can play in the Key Arena. WHO GIVES A SHIT ABOUT SEATTLE UNIVERSITY'S BASKETBALL TEAM.

-Basically his entire obsession with trying to be as good as Gonzaga. God damn.

Posted by Nick on February 5, 2009 at 8:33 AM

Speaking of child abuse, John McCain's former campaign manager has been arrested for sexual assault on a child.

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/186…

Posted by Greg on February 5, 2009 at 8:33 AM

Ah. I shot my mouth off too quickly. It's the manager of John McCain's campaign office in Pueblo, Colorado. Oops.

Posted by Greg on February 5, 2009 at 9:04 AM

nick, why don't you transfer to a school without priests or tents?

Posted by megs on February 5, 2009 at 11:35 AM

Brendan, you should ask some tougher questions of these attorneys who are running these press conferences in front of SU. I agree that it's a highly emotional topic (makes me lose sleep, too) but why is Sunbourg and SU being sued specifically? Did they do these crimes or know about these crimes in a criminally negligent way? I don't know the answers but I haven't seen anything between the Times and the Slog that points to a crime. And I have to admit that I have a bias against attorneys that do this type of grandstanding - they could very well be taking these victims on a ride whereby they play their emotions to fuel a PR attack and the lawyers end up with a lot of cash at the end of the deal.

I grew up in Alaska when this stuff was going on and know folks that were affected (including family members). It's horrible, but this lawsuit kind of stinks - I could be wrong but if you're out there asking, would you mind asking stuff like:

1) why are you not looking for jail time if SU and Sundbourg are guilty in a real way of facilitating these crimes?

2) if you settle for, say, $1,000,000 how much do the lawyers get and how much does each victim get?

I'm not trying to tell you what to do, but it sure would be helpful to get some more light shed on a truly emotional lawsuit. Something stinks and I fear for the victims (yet again) in this case -- and a bit for people throwing out wild accusations without backing them up.

Thanks for caring.

Posted by Danny Boy on February 5, 2009 at 12:18 PM