The older brother of a man who is suing Rev. Alexander Manville and former Franciscan friar and priest Gus Krumm of sex abuse is now also a plaintiff in the same Orange County, California personal injury case, which is scheduled to go to trial in July. The men are seeking damages for negligence, sexual battery, and other causes of action.
The younger brother, who is known as John Doe in court documents, sued the two men in June 2009. He claimed that they sexually abused him at the Huntington Beach parish between 1992 and 1994. plaintiffs were students at a local Catholic school when the alleged abuse happened. The plaintiffs' Newport Beach personal injury lawyer says that Manville at first subjected the victims to "bogus medical exams" and that the interactions eventually turned into rape. Although Krumm has never been prosecuted for sex abuse in criminal court, he has admitted to instances of abuse in the 1970's and 1980's.
Superior Court Judge Nancy Wieben Stock will decide next month whether the brothers can also seek punitive damages from Manville, Krumm, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange, and the Franciscan Friars. The brothers claim that the Franciscan Friars and the diocese exhibited a "callous disregard" for kids' safety when Krumm was transferred to Sts. Simon and Jude and gave him full access to the grammar school even though there had been allegations that he had sexually abused miniors. Krumm was allowed to work around children at the Huntington Beach parish for seven years.
Clergy Sex Abuse
Sexual abuse of any kind can be damaging from the victim, who may never fully recover emotionally. Unfortunately, for years there were many priests who went unpunished as they continued to molest members of their community, churches, and schools. Children and adults, who were sexually abused as kids, may be able to recover Huntington Beach, California personal injury damages from their abuser and other responsible parties.
Brother joins priest-abuse lawsuit, The Orange County Register, January 20, 2011
Plaintiff Files Orange County, California Child Sex Abuse Lawsuit Accusing Two Priests at a Huntington Beach Parish, California Injury Lawyers Blog, June 11, 2009
Related Web Resources:
Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange
Abuse in the Catholic Church, The Boston Globe
