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CNN Live Today

Documents Regarding Boston Priest Released

Aired April 08, 2002 - 12:15   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: More trouble in the Catholic Church. Six more priests have been suspended under allegations of sex abuse, this time from the archdiocese of New York. Also, in California, a San Bernardino priest has resigned after admitting he attacked boys several years ago.

And at this hour, an announcement is expected in Boston. That involves allegations of a church cover-up in an abuse case. CNN's Jason Carroll is on that story, and he brings us the background.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What we are looking at here is a civil case involving allegations that Father Paul Shanley sexually abused Greg Ford when Ford was a child. Ford's attorney has successfully argued to get hundreds of previously sealed documents about Shanley released from the Catholic Church. Those documents should outline exactly what Cardinal Bernard Law knew about Shanley and when he knew it. Ford's family says Cardinal Law knew that Shanley had been accused of sexual abuse and still moved him from parish to parish.

RODNEY FORD, VICTIM'S FATHER: It's horrible. It's horrendous. I am ashamed today to say I am a Catholic.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was so painful. It was just awful.

CARROLL: Neither Shanley nor the Boston Archdiocese was available for comment. The Fords also want to point out they still have not received all of the documents they were supposed to get from the Catholic Church. They are still waiting to get a copy of Shanley's psychiatric report. They also say that some of the documents, some of the passages in those documents were blacked out, so they want fresh copies of those documents as well. They are in process of releasing hundreds of document to the press right now, as we speak.

Jason Carol, CNN, Boston.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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