It is official, the Pope and two top Vatican officials have been served with court papers associated with the Milwaukee-area school for the deaf molestation case in which 200 deaf children were alleged to have been molested by Reverend Lawrence C. Murphy between 1950 and 1974.
The plaintiff’s lawyer, Jeff Anderson, confirmed yesterday (April 12th) that the lawsuit has been going through official channels and that the Vatican has received notice of the suit last week. The suit alleges that the Pope and two other top Vatican officials knew about the accusations of sexual molestation and called off investigations.
Even though Reverend Lawrence C. Murphy has since died, the case continues because of the allegation that the Vatican attempted to systematically cover-up the case. It could even be said that they have obstructed justice and put other children is harms way.
If this case is allowed to proceed, it will open up the door for similar cases throughout the world. Earlier this year, a Philadelphia Grand Jury revealed a similar sexual molestation scandal involving 37 priests of the Catholic Church.
In the past, the Pope and Vatican officials were immune from such lawsuits under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act of 1976. However, in June of last year the Supreme Court declined to hear a Vatican appeal to a Ninth Circuit ruling that the Vatican can be held accountable for priest’s actions under the “tort exceptions” clause of the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act of 1976 under certain conditions.
If you or someone you know has been sexually molested, please get help. Check out SNAP – Survivors Network for those Abused by Priests.
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