Jul 16, 2007 7:03 pm US/Eastern
L.A. Archdiocese Settles Abuse Case For $660M
Cardinal Apologizes To Public
LOS ANGELES (CBS News) ―
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Cardinal Roger Mahony (File)
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The settlement is the largest ever by a Roman Catholic archdiocese since the clergy sexual abuse scandal erupted in Boston in 2002. (File)
CBS
A judge has approved a landmark $660 million settlement between the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles and more than 500 alleged victims of clergy abuse.
The deal was formally approved Monday in a dramatic hearing marked by the sobs of victims and their attorneys, and a moment of silence for those victims who died during the years of negotiations.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Haley Fromholz called the settlement "the right result."
The deal came after more than five years of negotiations and is by far the largest payout by any diocese since the clergy abuse scandal emerged in Boston in 2002. The amount averages a little more than $1.33 million per plaintiff, although individual payouts will vary according to the severity and duration of the abuse.
The church is expected to pay $250 million in cash, with the balance coming from insurers and religious orders, reported CBS affiliate KCBS in Los Angeles.
Cardinal Roger Mahony sat through the hearing but did not speak. He issued an apology on Sunday, after the settlement was announced.
The lead plaintiffs' attorney for alleged victims asked his clients to stand during the hearing and thanked them for their resolve and their courage.
The attorney for the archdiocese, Michael Hennigan, also appeared emotional. He told the court his views of clergy sexual abuse changed dramatically during the years he spent trying to hammer out an agreement. He said private meetings with 70 of the plaintiffs made the most impact.
Although most parishioners responded with relief, some blamed Mahony for failing to reach a settlement in the local cases years earlier, reported the Los Angeles Times.
"I'm furious," Robert Sotelo, a retired West Covina electrician, told the Times after hearing Mahony celebrate Mass at the downtown Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. "Why did he take so long?"
Mahony did not directly address the legal settlement during the 10 a.m. Mass. A lay church member did, however, offer a brief prayer for victims of clergy abuse, as well as the homeless, prisoners on death row and others, the Times reported.
(© 2007 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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