Scroll Top

Media Advisory: First civil lawsuit by a St.Louis County victim to be filed under the Minnesota Child Victims Act

By Mike Finnegan June 25, 2013

Survivor will speak publicly about his childhood sexual abuse in Proctor and his lawsuit against the Diocese of Duluth

WHAT:  At a news conference on Wednesday in Duluth, prominent clergy abuse attorney Mike Finnegan will:

  • Announce the first civil lawsuit to be filed in St. Louis County under a new Minnesota law signed by Governor Dayton last month eliminating the civil statute of limitations for children who were sexually abused and allowing a 3-year window for past victims of childhood sexual abuse to file lawsuits against their perpetrator and/or an institution that may have allowed the abuse.  The lawsuit names the Diocese of Duluth as the defendant.
  • Introduce the plaintiff in the lawsuit, an Arizona man who as a child lived in Proctor, Minnesota, and was sexually abused by Father John Nicholson at St. Rose Parish in Proctor.
  • Ask the Diocese of Duluth to release the list of 17 priests who worked in the Diocese who have been accused of sexually molesting minors.  The Diocese has not released these names to the public and as a result, children, are at risk of being sexually molested.
  • Provide information concerning Father Nicholson’s assignments in Duluth, Grand Rapids, Hill City, Swatara, Deer River, Cohasset, Proctor and Deerwood, Minnesota.

WHEN:
Wednesday, June 26 at 1:00 PM

WHERE:
In front of the St. Louis County Courthouse
100 North 5th Ave. W.
Duluth, MN 55802

WHO:
Attorney Mike Finnegan, working with Jeff Anderson and Associates, a St. Paul, Minnesota-based law firm representing survivors throughout Minnesota and the country.  Finnegan has represented hundreds of survivors of sexual abuse by authority figures and clergy.

Plaintiff Doe 5, the victim/survivor filing the lawsuit, will speak publicly about the abuse and lawsuit.

Notes:
• Information packets including a complete timeline and map of Nicholson’s assignments in Minnesota will be available at the news conference.
• A copy of the complaint will be available at the news conference and at http://www.andersonadvocates.com/ on Wednesday after the news conference.