In Hearing Tomorrow, Diocese of New Ulm Seeks to Dismiss Sexual Abuse Lawsuit from Court

(New Ulm, MN) – Tomorrow at 3:00 PM in Brown County District Court, the Diocese of New Ulm will ask the Court to dismiss a lawsuit filed on behalf of a sexual abuse survivor, Doe 7, who was sexually abused as a young girl by Fr. David Roney at St. Mary’s Church in Willmar, MN.

The diocese continues to fight sexual abuse survivors and their advocates by keeping secret the full list of credibly accused clerics and the documents pertaining to the clerics and child sexual abuse by clergy. Until this information is released to the public, children remain at risk.

In March 2015, the Diocese of New Ulm quietly released the names of four clerics with allegations of sexual abuse of minors. These clerics included Fr. David Roney, Fr. John Murphy, Fr. Michael Skoblik, and Fr. Dennis Becker whose names was publicly released for the first time.

Doe 7’s lawsuit was filed in September 2013 under the Minnesota Child Victims Act which allows survivors of sexual abuse to sue their offenders and the institutions who protected the offenders. The deadline for sexual abuse survivors to file a lawsuit is May 25, 2016.

*Attorney Mike Finnegan will be available to answer questions tomorrow afternoon immediately following the hearing.

Brown County District Court Judge Robert A. Docherty’s Courtroom 3:00PM Hearing

14 South State St. New Ulm, MN 56073