Priest cleared of sex abuse but family awarded $20,000 for distress over claim's handling
Mosesto, California --
A jury late Friday afternoon cleared a Modesto priest of sexual battery but said he and another priest acted inappropriately when responding to a child's complaint about the incident, a lawyer in the case reported.
The trial arose from a civil lawsuit in which a Hughson family with three daughters alleged that the Rev. Francis Arakal of St. Joseph's Catholic Church had touched one of the girl's breasts.
Attorney George MacKoul of Falmouth, Mass., representing the family, said the girl, now 17, was devastated to see the jury take Arakal's word over hers. "She was inconsolable after the trial," he said.
The eight-woman, four-man San Joaquin County Superior Court jury awarded $20,000 to the family for emotional distress stemming from the priests' response when one of the girl's sisters reported concerns that she had about Arakal.
Read the article at Modbee.com | The Modesto Bee dated March 27, 2005
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A jury late Friday afternoon cleared a Modesto priest of sexual battery but said he and another priest acted inappropriately when responding to a child's complaint about the incident, a lawyer in the case reported.
The trial arose from a civil lawsuit in which a Hughson family with three daughters alleged that the Rev. Francis Arakal of St. Joseph's Catholic Church had touched one of the girl's breasts.
Attorney George MacKoul of Falmouth, Mass., representing the family, said the girl, now 17, was devastated to see the jury take Arakal's word over hers. "She was inconsolable after the trial," he said.
The eight-woman, four-man San Joaquin County Superior Court jury awarded $20,000 to the family for emotional distress stemming from the priests' response when one of the girl's sisters reported concerns that she had about Arakal.
Read the article at Modbee.com | The Modesto Bee dated March 27, 2005
posted by God Almighty Himself at 5:37 PM
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