Brothers Ask Jury For $27 Million In Catholic Church Abuse Case
Hayward, California --
Two brothers molested by a priest more than two decades ago should be awarded $27 million in damages, their lawyer argued Tuesday in a case that has been closely watched because it is the first in a series of sex-abuse lawsuits to seek punitive damages.
Legal observers have suggested that a significant award for the plaintiffs could force the Roman Catholic Church to settle dozens of lawsuits filed against Northern California dioceses.
In closing arguments, plaintiffs attorney Rick Simons said the church knew the Rev. Robert Ponciroli was sexually abusing children but failed to stop him.
"Now, many years later, the day of judgment is at hand," he told jurors. "You are the representatives of the community. You've joined together as the conscience of a community where a conscience is needed."
The case was brought by Bob and Tom Thatcher, who sat next to each other in the front row of the packed gallery.
The former altar boys said they were molested when they were 9 or 10 at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Antioch by Ponciroli, who lured each boy upstairs to his bedroom after asking them to come to the rectory to pick weeds. Ponciroli, 68, has been removed from public ministry and now lives in Florida.
Read the article at KTVU.com Dated April 12, 2005
Search the web for this article
Two brothers molested by a priest more than two decades ago should be awarded $27 million in damages, their lawyer argued Tuesday in a case that has been closely watched because it is the first in a series of sex-abuse lawsuits to seek punitive damages.
Legal observers have suggested that a significant award for the plaintiffs could force the Roman Catholic Church to settle dozens of lawsuits filed against Northern California dioceses.
In closing arguments, plaintiffs attorney Rick Simons said the church knew the Rev. Robert Ponciroli was sexually abusing children but failed to stop him.
"Now, many years later, the day of judgment is at hand," he told jurors. "You are the representatives of the community. You've joined together as the conscience of a community where a conscience is needed."
The case was brought by Bob and Tom Thatcher, who sat next to each other in the front row of the packed gallery.
The former altar boys said they were molested when they were 9 or 10 at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Antioch by Ponciroli, who lured each boy upstairs to his bedroom after asking them to come to the rectory to pick weeds. Ponciroli, 68, has been removed from public ministry and now lives in Florida.
Read the article at KTVU.com Dated April 12, 2005
posted by God Almighty Himself at 5:16 AM
Translate this post:
Spanish | Italian | French | German | Portuguese | Chinese | Korean | Japanese
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home