$100M Clergy Abuse Deal Brings Some Relief

[emad]

The Guardian

By GILLIAN FLACCUS

Associated Press Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) - A record-breaking, $100-million clergy sex abuse settlement between the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange and 87 plaintiffs brought some measure of relief to long-suffering families Friday, but legal experts differed over whether the blockbuster deal would help resolve a huge backlog of cases in California.

The agreement, reached late Thursday and expected to be finalized as soon as Monday, surpasses the previous record of $85 million awarded to 552 victims of clergy abuse in Boston in 2003, a participant in settlement negotiations said.

The Associated Press has learned the settlement involving the Orange County Diocese is worth $100 million.

It wasn't clear how much of the settlement insurers would pay and how much the diocese would provide, but church officials said the deal would not bankrupt the diocese or require the closure of any of its 55 parishes.

Full story:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4653236,00.html

[NashVegas]

1. Relief? Doubtful

It's great for the lawyers, but did you hear the one about the guy in Massachusetts who got a settlement and still threw himself in the Charles River?