Latest News 2011 May Lawsuit: Church Knew of Music Minister’s Past Abuse

Lawsuit: Church Knew of Music Minister’s Past Abuse

A lawsuit filed in Buncombe County Superior Court, by the parent’s of an abused girl, alleges that a music minister, and the church officials that hired him, were duplicitous in hiding a history of abuse, as reported by Asheville’s Citizen-Times.

The parents contend that teacher P.L.B. repeatedly molested their thirteen year-old daughter and that the Diocese of Charlotte and a former pastor, Rev. J.S., knew of the teacher’s previous assaults in parishes in Georgia, Massachusetts and Tennessee.  All three – the teacher, the diocese and the Reverend – are named in the suit.

Church officials assigned P.L.B. to St. Eugene Catholic Church in March 2007.

The diocese denied knowingly employing abusers, protecting sexual abusers or concealing any danger that a known predator may pose.  They further denied, in regards to P.L.B. specifically, that they knew nothing of his history of improper sexual activity.

Brad Searson, representing the plaintiffs, said, “It's a very important case.  We believe (the girl's) injuries are substantial, but we've got our fingers crossed that she's going to find a way forward.   Our primary goal is to obtain a just recovery that will provide for her current and future needs.”

P.L.B. pleaded guilty to production of child pornography a month ago and is now serving 28 years in a federal prison. 

Police records show that a parent of a female student at Asheville Catholic School alerted police that her child was being coerced by P.L.B into making child porn.  The child was 13 at the time of his arrest.   The court said that P.L.B. “engaged in a pattern of sexual abuse against minor children dating back to 2002 while employed as a music teacher.”

Rev. J.S. was also linked to the case.  Police charged him with deleting hundreds of child porn images, in an attempt to reduce evidence and mitigate the investigation.   J.S. has been charged with felony obstruction of justice.   He is due in court on June 2 and has since resigned as St. Eugene’s pastor.

The lawsuit contends that the young girl believed that both her Reverend and her music teacher were “holy people empowered by and with special access to God.”  But P.L.B. “singled out and groomed the minor child for the purpose of his own improper sexual interests and gratification.”  

Besides the pornographic material, the lawsuit contends that while P.L.B. privately taught the child to play the piano and to sing, he also engaged her in intercourse and other sexual acts.

Per the lawsuit, P.L.B. allegedly called Rev. J.S. from the police department soon after his arrest.  Then, it is also alleged, that Rev. J.S. left a school board meeting, went to P.L.B.’s apartment to erase the pornography from his computer, and then returned to the meeting.

The suit accuses the Charlotte Diocese of engaging “in a pattern and practice of protecting sexual abusers, even after the diocese had credible information showing that a particular priest or employee was a sexual abuser.”

The diocese responded: “Nothing (P.L.B.) did with regard to the improper relationship with the minor child was done in the course and scope of his employment or with actual or apparent agency authority.”

The lawsuit is seeking unspecified damages.  It cites that the child has suffered from severe mental anguish, has had to undergo psychiatric care, permanent damage to her sexual and emotional health and a loss of faith in authority figures.

Being abused by a member of the clergy doesn’t have to go unpunished.  Lawsuits can have a tremendous outcome for change, as well as monetary compensation for pain and suffering.  Contact a personal injury lawyer today for guidance!

Categories: Clergy Abuse

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