Lawsuits Name Three Notorious Offenders, One Priest Publicly Accused of Child Sexual Abuse for the First Time
(New York, NY) – On Friday, January 8, attorneys from the law firm of Jeff Anderson & Associates, on behalf of five courageous survivors, filed child sexual abuse complaints under the New York Child Victims Act (CVA) against the Diocese of Brooklyn. The complaints name three known prolific perpetrators and identify publicly for the first time Father Edward P. Hogan as an alleged child sexual abuser.
“We are honored to stand with these courageous survivors who are breaking their silence and reclaiming some of the power that was taken from them as kids,” said attorney Jeff Anderson. “These survivors join those who have come before them to ensure that children are better protected in the future.” Anderson’s firm, Jeff Anderson & Associates, has filed more than 100 lawsuits against the Diocese since the CVA window opened in August 2019.
The three (3) known prolific abusers named in the complaints—Father Herbert McElroy, Father James Russo, and Father Eugene Connolly—are currently listed on the Diocese of Brooklyn’s List of Accused Priests.
Fr. Hogan is accused of sexually abusing a minor parishioner and student from approximately 1957 to 1958 at Immaculate Heart of Mary (Brooklyn).
“The cases filed today shed light on the perilous practices deployed by the Diocese which put children in harm’s way—at the time of the abuse through the present,” said attorney Trusha Goffe on Friday. “These were, and are, deliberate actions by Catholic leaders that have caused lifelong pain and suffering. It’s time for transparency and accountability.”
In August of 2020, New York lawmakers extended the New York Child Victims Act by one year. Survivors in New York must take action before August 13, 2021 to preserve their rights under the CVA.