Facing more than 50 lawsuits accusing clergy and staff of sexual abuse, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester has filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy. That limits the damage the diocese will face from plaintiffs in those lawsuits, filed under New York's Child Victims Act.
Bishop Salvatore Matano says the bankruptcy covers only the diocese, not its parishes across 12 counties. He says it's a decision that had to be made because the potential liability could be up to $100 million...exceeding diocesan resources.
But attorneys representing a number of victims with claims against the diocese say Bishop Matano's decision to file for bankruptcy is "a legal tactic they are using to prevent jury trials and an attempt to stop the truth from being revealed."
Steve Boyd of Anderson and Associates says it flies in the face of the pain those victims have suffered.
Boyd says a jury should decide these cases, but that's being cut off at the knees before the survivors' stories can be told. He says the diocese has extensive insurance coverage and wouldn't risk losing any churches or programs because of the lawsuits.