Media Advisory: Diocese of Duluth Seeks to Dismiss Nuisance Claim in Hearing Today

Hearing Today Could Lead to Release of Secret Documents from the Diocese of Duluth

(Duluth, MN) – Today at 1:30 PM at a hearing in St. Louis County District Court, the Diocese of Duluth will request Judge David M. Johnson dismiss the public nuisance count in a sexual abuse case involving Father John Nicholson.

Today’s hearing could lead to the release of secret documents that detail what the Diocese of Duluth bishops and officials knew about these priests when they knew it, and what they did in response to the abuse reports will be released.

Survivor Michael DeRoche, along with his attorneys and other sexual abuse survivors including Doe 28, previously sought the release of a secret list of 17 priests with credible allegations of sexual abuse that the Diocese of Duluth finally released on December 31, 2013.  The information provided by the Diocese of Duluth shows that more than 50 parishes in the Diocese had at least one of the credibly accused priests on the list serve with them at one time or another.

The complaints for DeRoche’s case (Doe 5) and Doe 28’s case can be found on our website along with the list of 17 priest names at andersonadvocates.com.