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CNN Live Saturday

Archdiocese Pulling Out of Settlement

Aired May 04, 2002 - 22:12   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.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: Now retired priest Paul Shanley, meanwhile, who was arrested this week in San Diego on charges of child rape is at the center of the sex abuse scandal that has rocked Boston's Catholic archdiocese. But the fallout over another former priest, one already convicted of child molestation also is causing some outrage there. Here's CNN's Jason Carroll.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Before retired priest Paul Shanley was thrust into the center of the church scandal in Boston, there was defrocked priest John Geoghan. Earlier this year, a jury convicted Geoghan of molesting a young boy, but there were allegations he had abused some 200 children over the years. In February, the archdiocese settled a civil suit with 86 of Geoghan's alleged victims. Patrick McSorely was one of them. A little bit of trust, McSorely had rebuilt with the church was shattered on Friday when the archdiocese announced it was backing out of the deal.

PATRICK MCSORELY, ALLEGED VICTIM: I wanted to move on with my life. But obviously, they want to just keep revictimizing us and not give us the chance to do that.

CARROLL: The archdiocese deciding to pull out of the settlement, which could have cost them up to $30 million. Why? A civil suit involving Father Shanley is still pending. And they say there's no way of knowing if they'll have all the money necessary to pay future claims.

DAVID SMITH, BOSTON ARCHIDIOCESE: The plain and simple fact is it's an evolving story. We do not have in hand nearly enough information to determine the scope of the situation.

CARROLL: McSorely's attorney is outraged. He says the day before the archdiocese made the announcement, they had assured him they had enough money.

MITCHELL GARABEDIAN, ATTY., GEOGHAN PLAINTIFFS: Now what kind of examples are they setting? They're purportedly the most moral institution in the world, but they're evil. They're nothing but evil.

CARROLL: The Boston archdiocese says Cardinal Bernard Law, who has been under pressure to resign for his handling of the crisis, wanted to settle the Geoghan civil suit, but the archdiocese finance council overruled him.

(on camera): The attorney who represents Patrick McSorely and the 85 other plaintiffs is considering bringing a fraud case against the archdiocese. McSorely says he'll keep fighting to get the church to do what he says is right.

Jason Carroll, CNN, Boston.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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