Maine diocese cleared of cover-up in abuse lawsuit
August 03, 2012
A judge in Maine has dismissed a sex-abuse lawsuit against the Portland diocese, saying that the diocese was not responsible for covering up information about a priest’s misconduct.
The Maine lawsuit was brought by a man who reported being molested by Father Raymond Melville. The plaintiff pointed to evidence that the Portland diocese received complaints about the priest’s conduct in 1990, and continued to give him parish assignments. But Judge Donald Marden observed that the plaintiff’s accusation involved events that reportedly occurred in the 1980s, before the diocese had received any warning.
The judge issued a summary judgment in favor of the diocese before the case came to trial.
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