"We were very pleased that the jury recognized how severe and long-lasting childhood sexual assault is, particularly when it involves the betrayal of trust by a priest to an altar boy. How severe, long lasting and permanent that is, and the depth of harm that was done to that child that he cared."
"Suits can be still filed by people who are under 40 or by people who, within the last five years, reasonably discovered for the first time the connection between present psychological or emotional harm and childhood molestation."
"Numbers should be something realistic, not what the church has done. The church has stalled for six years, and after six years, they offer a lowball figure, which is roughly 3 to 4% of what the jury thought. So that's really low. It's too far apart."
A civil jury awarded $16 million to a survivor of childhood sexual abuse by former Oakland priest Stephen Kiesle. Attorney Rick Simons emphasized the severe and long-lasting effects of childhood sexual assault, especially when trust is betrayed by clergy. The verdict offers hope to other survivors, as legal options remain for victims under 40 or those who recently connected their current harm to past abuse. However, some advocates feel the settlement is inadequate compared to the jury's assessment, indicating a significant gap between the church's offer and the jury's determination.
Read at ABC7 San Francisco
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