Press Conference: Victim and Family to Speak of Abuse by St. Francis Xavier Parish and Roman Catholic High School Priest

Third Lawsuit against Philadelphia Archdiocese officials since Grand Jury report being announced Wednesday in front of Philadelphia Archdiocese offices 

What
At a news conference on Wednesday in front of the Philadelphia Archdiocese offices, a Delaware County man and his Family will speak to reporters concerning his abuse by Father John Kline, who was assigned to St. Francis Xavier Parish and a long time teacher at Roman Catholic High School.

In addition, prominent clergy abuse attorneys will announce a new lawsuit against the Archdiocese, Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua and Cardinal Justin Rigali, as well as others within the Archdiocese. The Lawsuit will allege that Archdiocese officials conspired to endanger the safety of the Plaintiff when they actively concealed their knowledge of Kline’s previous offenses, lied to parishioners, and created a sham sexual abuse victim assistance program for the Archdiocese.

When
Wednesday, March 16, 2011 at 1:00 PM

Where
In front of Philadelphia Archdiocese offices
222 North 17th Street
Philadelphia, PA

Who
Attorney and Professor Marci Hamilton, of counsel to Jeff Anderson & Associates, is one of the United States’ leading church/state legal scholars, as well as an expert on federalism and representation.  Professor Hamilton holds the Paul R. Verkuil Chair in Public Law at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University, and is the author of God vs. the Gavel: Religion and the Rule of Law (Cambridge University Press 2005), and Justice Denied: What America Must Do to Protect Its Children (Cambridge 2008) Professor Hamilton is a 1988 magna cum laude graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Law School and served as Editor-in-Chief of the University of Pennsylvania Law Review.  She clerked for Judge Edward R. Becker of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and Justice Sandra Day O’Connor of the United States Supreme Court.

Attorney Dan Monahan has represented thousands of individuals including victims of crime in personal injury cases throughout Pennsylvania since graduating from Villanova Law School in 1978.  He is a Board Certified Trial Advocate and admitted to practice law before the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, the Federal District Court, and the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Advocacy.

Attorney Jeff Anderson is an internationally known St. Paul, Minnesota-based trial lawyer widely recognized as a pioneer in sexual abuse litigation and has earned a reputation as a tireless champion of civil rights for children and the underprivileged. One of the first trial lawyers in America to publicly and aggressively initiate suits against religious organizations and hold them responsible by utilizing the American civil justice system, Anderson has represented thousands of survivors of sexual abuse by authority figures and clergy.

Note Copies of the civil complaint for this lawsuit will be available at approximately 9 A.M. on Wednesday under “Case Resources” at:  AndersonAdvocates.com

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