Parker Waichman LLP

Diocese, Priest Agree To Settle Sex Abuse Suits

  Sex Abuse Suits Settlement. The Ogdensburg Roman Catholic Diocese has agreed to pay a total of $180,000 to four women who accused a former priest of sexually abusing them as children and fraudulently practicing medicine on them. The diocese had faced $17 million in lawsuits from the women, who claimed they were abused by […]

Church Settle Sex Abuse Suits

 

Sex Abuse Suits Settlement. The Ogdensburg Roman Catholic Diocese has agreed to pay a total of $180,000 to four women who accused a former priest of sexually abusing them as children and fraudulently practicing medicine on them.

The diocese had faced $17 million in lawsuits from the women, who claimed they were abused by the Rev. Liam O’Doherty in the 1980s and 1990s while he was a priest assigned to St. Andrew’s Catholic Church in Sackets Harbor and the now closed St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Antwerp.

“This ends the litigation with these parties against Liam O’Doherty and the diocese,” the Rev. Terry LaValley, a diocesan spokesman, said Tuesday.

Despite the settlement, O’Doherty categorically denies any wrongdoing, his attorney said.

“He didn’t have sexual contact with any of them,” said Peter Carmen, O’Doherty’s lawyer.

sexual abuse scandals

O’Doherty is contributing $15,000 to the settlement because he thought it impossible to get a fair trial in this environment of clergy sexual abuse scandals, Carmen said.

O’Doherty, 63, served as a priest at seven parishes in northern New York beginning in 1966. In 1999, the diocese relieved him of his privileges to perform as a priest, but he remains a priest. He resides at Vianney Renewal Center, a retreat for priests in Dittmer, Mo.

The settlement does not bar O’Doherty from again performing priestly duties or include any requirement that the diocese take steps to make him leave the priesthood, Carmen said.

A Franklin County grand jury accused O’Doherty in February 1979 of having sexual contact with three 14-year-old girls while he was a parish priest in St. Regis Falls. The Ogdensburg diocese permitted O’Doherty to return to parish work after the misdemeanor sexual abuse charges were dismissed.

The four women in the latest lawsuit alleged that the diocese was negligent for not warning them of O’Doherty’s propensity to abuse women and children.

One women said O’Doherty sexually abused her in 1991 when she was 10 years old at St. Andrew’s Rectory in Sacketts Harbor. Another woman said O’Doherty often fondled her breast between 1985 and 1991, when she was 8 to 13 years old, and once forced her to sleep nude with him in the rectory.

An Oswego County woman alleged that in 1998, when she was 22 and O’Doherty was pastor at St. Michael’s Church in Antwerp, he told her he was a licensed physician and persuaded her to let him perform a vaginal exam.

A second Oswego County woman accused O’Doherty of fraudulently posing as a psychiatrist and counseled her.

Need Legal Help Regarding Sex Abuse Suits?

The personal injury attorneys at Parker Waichman LLP offer free, no-obligation case evaluations. For more information, fill out our online contact form or call 1-800-YOURLAWYER (1-800-968-7529).

Further sex abuse resources:

What Our Clients Say About Us
We have worked with thousands of clients and we appreciate them and their positive reviews. Here are just a few recent client reviews...
5 Star Reviews 150
I'm very satisfied with the service I received
Karen Jeffrey
3 years ago
5 Star Reviews 150
The best lawyer company I have ever met, very attentive, very concerned about my case, especially Jorge Peniche, who helped me with everything with my medication, my therapy, and followed up on my case from the beginning. It is a company that I recommend to all my friends. Friends Parker Waichman
Nestor Herrera
5 years ago
5 Star Reviews 150
Great company. If you really want to win your case - they will do it for you. Very professional.
Andre Kras
8 years ago

Why Choose Us to Help You?

We Take Care of Everything
Your situation is stressful enough: Let us take on the deadlines, paperwork, investigation, and litigation. We'll handle every detail so you don't have to worry.
No Recovery = No Legal Fees
We work on a contingency-fee basis, meaning that we only get paid from a portion of your settlement or jury award. If you don't get compensation, you owe us nothing.
Decades of Experience
Your situation is stressful enough: Let us take on the deadlines, paperwork, investigation, and litigation. We'll handle every detail so you don't have to worry.
Respected by Our Peers
Judges, insurance adjusters, and fellow attorneys all speak highly of our skills, and we've earned numerous accolades, including a flawless rating from AVVO.
We Have Many Locations To Serve You
We have the experience and the skilled litigators to win your case. Contact us and speak with a real attorney who can help you.
Long Island – Nassau
Parker Waichman LLP
6 Harbor Park Drive
Port Washington, NY 11050
Long Island – Suffolk
Parker Waichman LLP
201 Old Country Road – Suite 145
Melville, NY 11747
New York
Parker Waichman LLP
59 Maiden Lane, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10038
Queens
Parker Waichman LLP
118-35 Queens Boulevard, Suite 400
Forest Hills, NY 11375
Brooklyn
Parker Waichman LLP
300 Cadman Plaza West
One Pierrepont Plaza, 12th Floor
Brooklyn, NY 11201
New Jersey
Parker Waichman LLP
80 Main Street, Suite 265
West Orange, NJ 07052
Florida
Parker Waichman LLP
27299 Riverview Center Boulevard
Suite 108
Bonita Springs, FL 34134
Nationwide Service
Parker Waichman LLP
59 Maiden Lane, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10038