First Child Sexual Assault Lawsuit Brought Against Bellarmine College Preparatory School Under CA Child Victims Act

By Mike Finnegan January 1, 2020

Notorious Jesuit Child Abuser Used Position in Prestigious School to Groom, Target and Assault Children

(San Jose, CA) – Today in San Jose, on behalf of a courageous survivor, attorneys from Jeff Anderson & Associates will:

  • Reveal and discuss the first lawsuit filed under the California Child Victims Act (AB 218) against Bellarmine College Preparatory School (Diocese of San Jose), the Archdiocese of San Francisco, and the Society of Jesus for child sexual assault by Brother William C. Farrington, S.J., who worked for the school in the 1960s and 1970s.
  • Reveal and discuss how the plaintiff was targeted, groomed, and assaulted by Br. Farrington while the plaintiff was participating in youth and church activities at Bellarmine College Preparatory School when he was approximately 13 years old.
  • Discuss Br. Farrington’s legacy of child sexual assault, including multiple sexual abuse accusations during his assignments in California and public apologies from school administrators for his misconduct. In 2002, Br. Farrington was officially removed from ministry and placed in the Sacred Heart Jesuit Center in Los Gatos, California, where he is believed to still be living.
  • Discuss the historic California Child Victims Act (AB 218), a new law that extends the statute of limitations and provides a three-year window for sexual abuse survivors to bring lawsuits in cases that were previously barred by the statute of limitations, no matter when the abuse occurred or how old the survivor is.
  • Encourage sexual abuse survivors to come forward confidentially under AB 218.
  • Demand full disclosure by Bishop Oscar Cantú (Diocese of San Jose), Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone (Archdiocese of San Francisco), and Jesuit Superiors of the identities, histories, and current whereabouts of all clergy accused of child sexual abuse who worked in the Diocese of San Jose.

When
Today: Wednesday, January 1, 2020 at 10:00 AM (PT)

Where
San Jose Marriott (Almaden Room)
301 S. Market Street
San Jose, CA 95113

The press conference will be live-streamed via YouTube and on Facebook.

Spanish-speaking JAA staff will be present and available at this event.