Atlanta 10/25/2010 10:08:00 PM
San Diego Priests Sexual Abuse Case finally releases Sealed Documents
Attorneys against Roman Catholic Priests in the Diocese of San Diego released thousands of pages of previously sealed church documents on Sunday. The internal documents detail complaints and provide medical records and communication between priests and their superiors. The attorneys in the case represent nearly 150 people who allege sexual abuse by Roman Catholic Priests in the Diocese in San Diego.
The documents are approximately 10,000 pages from the files of 48 priests who either have been accused of sexual abuse or have already been convicted of sexual abuse. It also includes priests named in a civil lawsuit.
The case was settled in 2007 and the 144 plantiff's settled for close to $200 million dollars. The settlement agreement at the time stipulated that an independent judge would later determine what records that were previously sealed could be made public. A judge ruled on Friday afternoon that the records could in deed be made public. The Diocese as of the ruling did not make any comment.
Documents surrounding Anthony Rodrigue who admitted he had molested up to six children over a span of two plus decades were some of the files that have been made public.
