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American Morning
Attorney Discusses Clients Abused by Boston Archdiocese
Aired May 08, 2002 - 09:10 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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: We move on to Boston now, where the Catholic Church is getting a lot of court time lately. And this morning Cardinal Bernard Law will be questioned under oath about his handling of Father John Geoghan, the now defrocked priest and convicted child molester. Yesterday, another former Boston priest, an accused sexual abuser Paul Shanley had his day in court, facing criminal charges.
And still another former Boston priest is in custody this morning, Ronald Paquin is charged with raping a 12 year old boy more than 50 times between 1990 and 1992. Paquin is also the defendant in civil suits alleging sexual abuse and is the subject of a wrongful death lawsuit from the family of 16 year old James Francis who died in a car accident with Paquin in 1991. Attorney Jeffrey Newman represents more than 100 alleged victims of abuse by 16 separate priests in the Boston Archdiocese, including Father Paquin. And he joins us now from Boston.
Good morning, thank you for joining us this morning, sir.
JEFFREY NEWMAN, ATTORNEY: Good morning.
ZAHN: How long have you been pushing for the arrest of Father Paquin?
NEWMAN: Well, it's been about a month now. The gentleman who came forward, who is the basis of the complaint, came to me about a month ago. And the day after he came to me, we walked him to the state police. And we've been hoping that they would come forward to arrest Paquin, because there are many, many more victims out there.
ZAHN: What charges do you plan to make against Paquin and the Boston Archdiocese?
NEWMAN: Well, we filed lawsuits on behalf of this individual and 12 other people, alleging that the diocese knew since the early '70s that Father Paquin had a severe problem, sexual problem, deriving from his own molestation as a child by a priest. And yesterday, I obtained documents via subpoena from one of those cases. And in fact those documents have verified the extent and nature of the knowledge of the archdiocese, and their failure to take acts to get him away from children.
ZAHN: How is it that the Boston Archdiocese was able to keep these documents hidden for so long?
NEWMAN: Well, no one really pressed the matter. Quite frankly, there were a number of cases settled by other individuals. No one really pursued it as we're pursuing it now. And I think, you know, in hindsight many of the plaintiff's lawyers, including me, wish we had done more vigorous work earlier in the '90s when we first got these cases. And the media attention has only been escalating recently. But I think there has been a concerted effort by the diocese to do everything possible to reduce the scandal, and that, I think, was their one failure. That they looked at the reputation of the church over the children, and as a result many, many children were molested and their lives have been really scarred for many years.
ZAHN: Based on your reading of these new documents, is there any thing that you can point to that would suggest that this is entirely Cardinal Law's fault?
NEWMAN: Well, there's nothing, I think, that would say it is entirely his fault. He certainly was the captain of the ship here in Boston, of the Archdiocese from '84. There are some important documents that I have found. And what I have decided to do is to obtain a court order from the court to allow these documents to be placed on the record. There are some 2500 documents that I read last night. And rather than, kind of, go through them piece meal, I think the public ought to have a chance to see these, themselves. And get a gander at them.
There is a lot there involving Father McCormick, now of New Hampshire; Father Hughes, now of Louisiana; and Cardinal Law, himself, in terms of the information that existed. But I think that is the best route to render the information to the public, so they can see it themselves.
ZAHN: And I know, when you're handed 2500 documents, and you have to read through them, you can't share all of that with us this morning. But what is the most damaging thing you've been able to glean from your initial reading of these documents -- about those three men you've just named?
NEWMAN: Well, I think what's almost upsetting is the fact that so many victims had come forward to them and given explicit information about what had happened to them. And the fact that it became obvious, even despite attempted treatment, that Paquin was not going to get better, that they still allowed him to remain in the Parish at Haverhill. That is apparent and patent from the documents. It can't be escaped.
It is, I think, probably one of the legacies, like Shanley and like Mahand (ph), and like all of these other priests. And it is hard to understand how an individual with any sensitivity at all could subject other children to these people who are so sick, they can't help themselves.
ZAHN: Final question for you this morning. Cardinal Law, deposed in Boston this morning in a case not related to yours, Father Geoghan. You plan to depose him as well. What do you think those depositions will yield?
NEWMAN: Well, I think it will help us understand, to a greater degree, the thought process that went on. And also the breadth of knowledge. Not just with Cardinal Law, but who else knew this information. The documents are interesting reads, they give you a sense of what goes on. But when you ask a person a question directly, and in such a way that it is difficult to evade by their response -- and you stay with it. You get a sense, ultimately as to exactly what happened.
And I think it's very significant for all the victims out there to be able to hear his actual words. To see what his thought processes were, because it is just inconceivable that this has been allowed to happen. And presently in Massachusetts the archdiocese is in absolute free-fall, because more and more information comes out, daily, now. So we have to hear from Cardinal Law why he allowed this to happen.
ZAHN: Well, we will hear, a little bit later on today, after this deposition, some of what was learned. Jeffrey Newman, thank you for joining us on the heels of the arrest of a man who you say is responsible for hurting and abusing one of your clients. Thank you for your time; appreciate it.
NEWMAN: Thank you.
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