In a first, judge orders Abp. Nienstedt to testify about clergy sex abuse

Archbishop John Nienstedt and former vicar general Kevin McDonough must testify under oath about how the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis responded to allegations of child sex abuse by local priests, a Ramsey County district judge ruled Tuesday.

Judge John Van de North also ordered the archdiocese to create a list of all priests accused of sexually abusing minors since 2004. The list, which must be prepared by Feb. 18, is in addition to a list of clergy accused before 2004, which was released in December and would include all priests who had been the subject of abuse complaints, not just those church officials had determined were “credibly accused.”

He also said attorneys could begin reviewing internal church documents that shed light on how it handled clergy abuse complaints.

The case that led to the historic rulings was filed in 2013 on behalf of a man who claimed he had been abused decades earlier by the Rev. Thomas Adamson, who later left the priesthood. It contends that church officials here and in Winona put children and others at risk of abuse by failing to disclose information about priests who had been accused of abuse.

“This is a very important case … This has become a bellwether case,” said Van de North, referring to the demands that the archdiocese provide information.
continue at Strib

Can someone smart clarify this?  So when +Weakland testified, it was a deposition which is not public in a court.  This will be taking the stand publicly as part of the Adamson trial?  I seem to remember that this has happened to other bishops in the US. 

Pray for Abp. Nienstedt. 

No comments: