Attorneys for the Catholic Diocese of Belleville attempted to move the court to set aside, or order a new trial for a $5 mllion civil jury verdict against the church for damages suffered by a former altar boy. However, their motion was denied by the St Clair County Circuit judge Lloyd Cueto. The next option for the diocese is to appeal to the 5th District Appellate Court in Mount Vernon.
A jury awarded James Wisniewski, 47, $5 million in damages and medical costs in connection to his 2002 lawsuit against Rev Raymond Kownacki who allegedly sexually abused him for five years beginning when he was about 13 years old while he served as an altar boy at St Theresa’s Church in Salem.
To read the original story click here.
Leave a comment