Two half-brothers, in prison for killing a priest, tell a story of abuse in New Orleans

"Attorneys Frank Lamothe III and Kristi Schubert have 75 clients. Twenty-three of them are prisoners, and most of them allege abuse at two long-shuttered orphanages, Hope Haven and Madonna Manor. Two of these men had a different path to prison. Bernard Joseph, 57, and Marcus Hamilton, 65, half-brothers, are serving life terms in Angola, the Louisiana state penitentiary, for murdering a priest."

"The St Joseph's Society of the Sacred Heart's website describes it as a male religious order serving the African American community through the proclamation of the Gospel and our personal witness. Josephites have a long history in New Orleans, notably at St Augustine, a distinguished boys' high school whose alumni include music superstar Jon Batiste and former New York Times executive editor Dean Baquet, along with major athletes and politicians."

More than 600 alleged survivors of clergy abuse have claims against the Roman Catholic archdiocese of New Orleans in its bankruptcy. Attorneys Frank Lamothe III and Kristi Schubert represent 75 claimants, 23 of whom are prisoners. Most prisoner claimants allege abuse at the long-shuttered orphanages Hope Haven and Madonna Manor. Half-brothers Bernard Joseph, 57, and Marcus Hamilton, 65, are serving life at Angola for murdering a priest and have lawsuits against the archdiocese. Their records include voluminous death-penalty appeal documents and recorded Zoom interviews. Two Josephite priests figure in the matter: one murdered and one who testified he tried to help the brothers. The brothers allege sexual abuse by both priests. Josephite ministry in New Orleans includes St. Augustine High School and clergy such as Patrick McCarthy, whose body was found in the rectory on Dec. 18, 1988, hands and feet tied on a blood-soaked floor.

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