Media Advisory: Abuse Survivors to Speak Publicly, File Lawsuits Against St. John’s Abbey

Clear and Present Danger at St. John’s Abbey and in the Diocese of St. Cloud

Sexual Abuse Survivors to Speak and Bring Legal Action

(St. Paul, MN) – At a news conference on Thursday in St. Paul attorney Jeff Anderson will:

  • Announce the filing of three civil lawsuits filed in Ramsey and Stearns Counties on behalf of four sexual abuse survivors. Defendants named in the lawsuits include: The Order of St. Benedict a/k/a and d/b/a St. John’s Abbey; the Diocese of St. Cloud; the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis; and Richard Eckroth.
  • Discuss the experiences of two survivors who previously settled with St. John’s. These men, abused as young boys by Richard Eckroth and Cosmos Dahlheimer, will speak publicly at the press conference.
  • Request St. John’s and the Diocese of St. Cloud release all the files of clerics credibly accused of sexual abuse. St. John’s has publicly named 22 clerics and the Diocese of St. Cloud has named 33 clerics with credible allegations of child sexual abuse.

When
Thursday September 18, 2014, at 11:00 AM (CDT)

Where
Jeff Anderson & Associates
366 Jackson Street, Suite 100
St. Paul, MN 55101

Notes
Copies of the complaints and exhibits will be available at the press conference and on our website tomorrow and the event will be live-streamed online with links available on our homepage at www.andersonadvocates.com.

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