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 October 16, 2003
Tremont & Sheldon Reaches 21 Million Dollar Settlement with Dioscese of Bridgeport
BRIDGEPORT - Oct. 16, 2003, 12:01 a.m. - The law firm of Tremont & Sheldon reached a 21 million dollar settlement with the Diocese of Bridgeport on behalf of forty (40) clergy sex abuse survivors. This raises the number of victims represented by Tremont & Sheldon for childhood sexual abuse against the Diocese of Bridgeport to over seventy (70). In March of 2001, Tremont & Sheldon reached a confidential global settlement with the Diocese of Bridgeport and its predecessor bishop, Cardinal Edward Egan on behalf of twenty-four (24) individuals, most of whom had lawsuits pending for over eight (8) years. In addition, Tremont & Sheldon settled additional claims apart from these mediations.
THE SETTLEMENT
The 21 million dollar settlement was the result of a lengthy mediation process in which United States Magistrate Judge William I. Garfinkel of the United States District Court in Bridgeport, Connecticut agreed to serve as the mediator. Magistrate Judge Garfinkel also served as the mediator in the 2001 mediation. This most recent mediation involves forty (40) victims represented by Tremont & Sheldon, all of whom were sexually molested by at least one of sixteen (16) priests within the Diocese of Bridgeport. In one case, the victim was abused by three (3) priests. These claims include abuses that began in the 1960's and continued into the early 1990's, during Cardinal Egan's tenure as Bishop with the Diocese.
As a result of pending statute of limitations, Tremont & Sheldon filed seven (7) lawsuits involving claims against Monsignor Charles Stubbs, Father Martin Federici, Father Joseph Gorecki, Father Alfred Bietighofer and Father Raymond Pcolka, who was the first priest successfully sued by Tremont & Sheldon in January 1993. Tremont & Sheldon had also previously represented victims who had been abused by Father Federici and Father Gorecki. In addition to the claims of abuse against Stubbs, Federici, Gorecki, Bietighofer and Pcolka, these matters involve sexual abuse claims against the following priests within the Diocese of Bridgeport: Father Richard Grady, Father Stanley Banescek, Father Henry Albecke, Father John Deshan, Father William Donovan, Father Vincent Veich, Father Sherman Gray, Father Albert McGoldrick, Father Robert Morrissey, Father Martin Ryan and Father W. Phillip Coleman. Tremont & Sheldon previously settled other sex abuse claims against Coleman as well as Father Charles Carr and Father Joseph Moore, also of the Diocese of Bridgeport.
Enormous credit must be given to Magistrate Judge Garfinkel for the success of this mediation. In addition to handling the demands of his federal court docket, Magistrate Judge Garfinkel made himself completely accessible, meeting privately with attorneys for both sides as well as the victims. "Not surprisingly, most of our clients have difficulty trusting people and it was very hard for many of them to come forward; yet Magistrate Judge Garfinkel had the innate ability to put them at ease and help them understand the process and his role. We are extremely grateful to Magistrate Judge Garfinkel for his enduring energy, time and advice throughout this difficult process," said Attorney Cindy L. Robinson of Tremont & Sheldon.
RESPONSE OF THE BISHOP AND DIOCESE OF BRIDGEPORT
In contrast to the Diocese's denials of abuse and extensive litigation that ensued following Tremont & Sheldon's commencement of sex abuse lawsuits in the 1990's, Attorney Jason Tremont of Tremont & Sheldon met with Bishop William Lori and two clients in 2002 in order to report the sexual abuses of Father Bietighofer, who, at that the time was an active priest at St. Andrew's Parish in Bridgeport. Bishop Lori signaled a welcomed change to his predecessor's handling of clergy sexual abuse of minors and acknowledged that abuse took place, apologized, offered counseling and offered to meet with other victims. "Bishop Lori dealt with these claims in a candid and open manner which helped us in going forward with the mediation process," said Douglas P. Mahoney of Tremont & Sheldon.
As a result of an ongoing dialogue between Tremont & Sheldon and the attorneys for the Diocese of Bridgeport, the victims and the Diocese were able to avoid lengthy litigation and move forward towards a resolution. During the process, Tremont & Sheldon allowed Attorney Michael Dolan, General Counsel for the Diocese of Bridgeport, an opportunity to interview all of the victims as well as investigate all of the claims.
EFFECT OF RESOLUTION
It is the hope of Tremont & Sheldon that these settlements will allow the claimants to get on with their lives. "Our goals from the beginning were justice for the victims and a change in the behavior of the Church---we have achieved both," said Jason E. Tremont of Tremont & Sheldon.
The effect of being sexually exploited, abused or assaulted as a child by a priest will leave permanent scars on all of the claimants. However, their courage in coming forward and speaking out about the terrible things that happened to them as children has undoubtedly raised the public's awareness of these abuses and has resulted in the formation and implementation of sexual abuse prevention policies. Hopefully, vigilant enforcement of these policies will prevent future assaults upon children. "It is essential that Diocesan procedures necessarily include the input and participation of abuse victims as they are in the best position to know how to protect children and prevent this from happening again," said Jason Tremont.
Tremont & Sheldon will continue to ask the Diocese of Bridgeport to take whatever steps are necessary in order to laicize (permanent removal from the priesthood) any priest who has sexually exploited, abused or assaulted a child. Suspension from the priesthood is not enough.
HISTORY OF THE CASES
In 1993, Tremont & Sheldon brought the first lawsuit on behalf of two individuals who were sexually abused as children by Father Pcolka. Thereafter, an additional lawsuit was brought on behalf of thirteen other survivors, all of who had been sexually abused by Pcolka. All of the children were Catholics and their families had strong ties with the Church. At that time, T. Paul Tremont of Tremont & Sheldon, counsel on these cases, stated, "The astounding fact is that what appeared to be an isolated complaint, now appears to be a sexual epidemic which has run the gauntlet of the Catholic Dioceses from Greenwich through Shelton and from Norwalk through New Canaan which is being covered up by Bishop Curtis, Bishop Egan and other leaders of the Church." Paul Tremont passed away during his crusade against clergy sexual abuse.
The Diocese's initial response to the lawsuits was to file gag orders in court preventing public access to information relating to the sexual abuses of its priests. Over the next eight (8) years, additional survivors of childhood clergy sex abuse came forward and were represented by Tremont & Sheldon.
In 1997, the Diocese was able to dismiss several claims on the sole basis that the applicable statue of limitations had expired. One of those claims involved the sexual abuses of Monsignor Gregory Smith, who later admitted to the offenses.
In August 1999, a claim that occurred in 1993, on Bishop Egan's watch, was brought against the Diocese of Bridgeport and Bishop Egan, once again involving the offenses of Father Federici. Cardinal Egan has already been deposed twice in connection with these claims and at the time of the settlement Tremont & Sheldon had scheduled a third session of deposition testimony in accordance with prior court rulings.
From the beginning, Tremont & Sheldon has claimed that the there has been an ongoing cover up regarding clergy sex abuse in this Diocese. Instead of removing the perpetrator from the priesthood, he would be summarily transferred to another parish. Tremont & Sheldon believes that the Diocese of Bridgeport, including Cardinal Egan, allowed known sex abusers to continue on as active priests, enabling these offenders to have contact with children.
"This settlement represents vindication for all of the survivors of clergy sex abuse and is an acknowledgment of their very personal ordeals. We have seen that these very public lawsuits and claims have literally changed the way Dioceses across the country are dealing with these cases. Secrecy is no longer acceptable," said Cindy Robinson.
WE WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR ADDITIONAL COMMENTARY THROUGHOUT THE DAY ON THURSDAY, 10/16/03.
THE FOLLOWING ARE ATTACHMENTS TO THIS PRESS RELEASE:
- STATEMENT OF VICTIM, MARIO JAIMAN
- LIST OF PARISHES WHERE PRIESTS WERE ASSIGNED AT TIME OF ABUSE
Contact Cindy Robinson or Jason Tremont at 203-335-5145 for further information.
- Tremont & Sheldon is a trial litigation firm that for over 40 years has fought to bring justice to Connecticut citizens who have suffered personal injury through the fault of others. Our areas of focus include sexual abuse, medical malpractice, nursing home litigation, legal malpractice, defective products, catastrophic injuries and wrongful death. For more information please visit us at our website: www.tremont-sheldon.com.
STATEMENT FROM VICTIM, MARIO JAIMAN:
October 16, 2003
First of all, I would like to thank God for finally bringing this journey to an end and my prayer now is that all the survivors and their families find closure and peace of mind. During this whole process there were some very key players and at this time I would like to acknowledge them individually and express gratitude on the behalf of myself and the other survivors.
- Bishop Lori has been a blessing to the Diocese and to victims and survivors of abuse. He and the team of people supporting him having taken swift action, not only in bringing forth a resolution to this case, but also in the implementation of the policy and procedures protecting children and young people and his policy of a "transparent" Diocese creates a spirit of comfort and solidarity.
- The team of Tremont and Sheldon. Not enough can be said for their professionalism. Also, their caring approach allowed each person and survivor to maintain their dignity and self-respect and never allowed any person to be re-victimized.
- The Honorable Magistrate Judge William Garfinkel. For the gift that he provided to all of us past and present. The gift of self. He has given freely of his time and his effort. His mediation of these abuse cases was without monetary gain and his biggest incentive was the knowledge that he would play an instrumental in providing closure for the victims and their families. He never allowed one person to be lost in the "process". He is truly an example for all of us.
- Lastly, on the behalf of myself and the other survivors I would like to say thank you, to the friends and families that remained loyal and did not berate us when we made one of the hardest decision in our lives. The decision to break the silence and break the cycle of abuse. Your love and support will never be forgotten.
Mario O. Jaiman
Parishes where priests were assigned at time of abuse:
Father Bietighofer:
Blessed Sacrament, Bridgeport, CT
St. Anthony of Padua, Bridgeport, CT
Father Stubbs:
St. Ann's, Bridgeport, CT
Seminary, Norwalk, CT
St. Mary's, Ridgefield, CT
Father Banaseck:
St. Anthony of Padua, Bridgeport, CT
Father Federici:
St. Ambrose, Bridgeport, CT
Assumption Church, Fairfield, CT
Holy Name, Fairfield, CT
St. Thomas, Norwalk, CT
St. Theresa's, Trumbull, CT
Father DeShan:
St. Augustine's, Bridgeport, CT
Father Gorecki:
St. Cyril & Methodius, Bridgeport, CT
St. Mary's, Norwalk, CT
St. Theresa's, Trumbull, CT
Assumption Church, Westport, CT
Father Pcolka:
St. John Nepomucene, Bridgeport, CT
Holy Name, Stratford, CT
Father Coleman:
St. Patrick, Bridgeport, CT
Father Donovan:
St. Thomas More, Darien, CT
Holy Family, Fairfield, CT
Father Veich:
St.Catherine of Siena, Greenwich, CT
Father Albecke:
St. Jude, Monroe, CT
Father Grady:
St. Leo, Stamford, CT
Father Ryan:
St. Theresa's, Trumbull, CT
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