Court records detailing allegations of child sexual abuse by Memphis Catholic priests may be released by the end of the summer reports the Memphis Daily News. The issue being currently being determined by a judge is which priest's names will be "blacked out" of the document when it is released. Gaining access to these documents could expose the inner workings of how certain abuse cases were handled by the Catholic Diocese of Memphis. There have been six civil cases involving priest abuse in Memphis, some of which have been dismissed and some settled. None of them ever went to trial.
None of the priests accused in these civil actions ever had criminal charges against them. The diocese and the Dominican religious order had earlier paid a $2 million settlement in a fraudulent concealment case involving claims of sexual abuse by a priest. A priest, Juan Carlos Duran, as well as the Diocese has admitted that sexual abuse by Duran took place against a 14-year-old boy in 2000.
If you or a loved one has been the victim of clergy abuse, contact a clergy abuse attorney to assist you in your claim. The legal team at the Zalkin Law Firm is dedicated to fighting for fair compensation for clergy abuse crimes, and has helped countless injured individuals in such cases.
