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CNN Live Sunday

Who Is Telling the Truth in Catholic Church Sex Abuse Scandals?

Aired April 07, 2002 - 18:20   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.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: "The Boston Globe" reports the Archdiocese of Boston failed to inform officials at a California parish that a priest is being transferred to them. Well, he had been accused of sexually abusing children. Reverend Paul Shanley was sent to San Bernardino from Boston in 1990.

An attorney for one of Shanley's alleged victims says he has obtained church documents showing the diocese had received "credible allegations" of sexual abuse involving Shanley, dating all the way back to the 1960s.

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RODERICK MACLEISH, ATTORNEY FOR ALLEGED VICTIM OF PRIEST: Our information is that Mr. Shanley has, Father Shanley, because I want to emphasize he remains a senior priest in good standing of the Archdiocese of Boston, and Father Shanley is not around and nobody seems to know where he is. But there are plenty of people who are looking for him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: As more cases of alleged sexual abuse by Catholic priests continue to fill the headlines, a new question is arising. In a case that's sometimes decades old, how do you know who is telling the truth? Brian Palmer reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN PALMER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Someone tells a parent, a close friend or a trusted member of the clergy they were abused by a priest years and years ago. A flurry of such accusations have surfaced since January, when one of the largest cases of alleged sexual abuse by a priest was exposed, that of Boston priest, John Geoghan.

Because so many of these situations revolve around incidents accusers say happened decades ago, unearthing information to prove or disprove allegations is difficult.

R. SCOTT APPLEBY, NOTRE DAME: I think we have to take the attitude that the burden of proof is on the accuser at the same time the priest who is being accused or the minister of any church has to stand before the accuser and give a vigorous denial and an accounting of whatever episode or incident is being brought to bear.

PALMER: Attorneys for the accuser must plow deep into both the alleged abuser and their client's histories to build a case.

SYLVIA DEMAREST, ATTORNEY FOR ABUSE PLAINTIFFS: It is more difficult in areas where there is one accusation, but once again, it's going to be a credibility fight under those circumstances between the history of the accused perpetrator and the child and the corroborating evidence that you can develop concerning that child. But generally speaking, these cases have not been proven difficult to prove, if you are able to obtain the documentary evidence from the diocese.

PALMER: It's the job of the defense attorney to refute the charges, and in some cases discredit the person making them.

ROY BLACK, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: You know if any case where somebody makes an accusation, you have to go after their credibility. I mean if your client says it's untrue, then obviously this accuser is lying, and it's up to you as the lawyer to prove that.

PALMER: Other factors can complicate the search for information.

JOSEPH DiGENOVA, FORMER U.S. ATTORNEY: The reason the cases are so difficult is that many of these victims have been paid by the church to remain silent as a result of civil settlements. And as a result, many of these priests have been allowed to go on marauding and committing crimes against innocent young men and women.

PALMER: Some advocates for alleged victims and prosecutors are calling for laws making it mandatory for the clergy to report allegations of abuse to law enforcement. Some diocese have voluntarily turned over names of accused priests, but as of yet, there's no church-wide policy about how to handle such charges.

Brian Palmer, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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