What:
At a sidewalk news conference, clergy sex abuse victims will discuss an unusual new civil child molestation lawsuit against an former Catholic cleric who taught in South County. Neither the predator nor the school where he worked have ever been sued in connection with sex abuse before.
When:
TODAY, Wednesday, Sept. 14, 11:00 a.m.
Who:
Several clergy abuse survivors who are members of a support group called SNAP, Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests
Where:
Outside the Marianists headquarters, 4425 West Pine, in St. Louis city's Central West End
Why:
In Pueblo (Colorado) County District Court this morning, two men, filing as "john does," accuse Brother William Mueller of molesting them while they were teenaged students at Roncalli High School in Pueblo in the late 1960s. In separate incidents as part of alleged "scientific experiments," Mueller used ether to put both boys to sleep. He then assaulted them while they were unconscious.
The attorney filing the suit, Jeffrey Herman of Miami (305-931-2200), says that after these assaults, Mueller was transferred to St. John Vianney High School in St. Louis "where other boys were abused in a similar manner." He also believes that Mueller was sent to a pedophile “treatment center” for priests in New Mexico around 1985 and left the Marianists in 1986.
Defendants in the suit include the Pueblo Catholic Diocese (719-544-9861) and the Marianists (Fr. Timothy Dwyer 314 533 1207).
Mueller is believed to be a San Antonio native who lives there now and has worked for the San Antonio Symphony.
The victims will NOT be present at the event. A copy of the lawsuit is available at www.hermanlaw.com
This is at least the fifth time a current or former St. Louis-area Marianist has been named as an accused pedophile in the last four years.
The others (all of whom worked at Chaminade Prep in West County) include Fr. William Christiansen, Fr. Daniel A. Triulzi, Brother Tony Pistone, and ex- Brother John Woulfe. Triulzi (940-300-1956, 940-591-7912) was sued here late last month and suspended from active ministry in Texas (http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/12533645.htm). Pistone was exposed and suspended from teaching at Chaminade earlier this year because of credible allegations against him in Texas (see Post Dispatch, 5/12/05). Christiansen and Woulfe are facing a lawsuit that was heard last week by the Missouri Supreme Court. http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/local/12592663.htm
In 2002, Woulfe was found guilty of molesting a school girl near Kankakee IL where he worked as a public school counselor.
Apparently, none of the others have faced criminal charges. All five face multiple accusers.
Contact:
David Clohessy (National Director, SNAP) 566 9790 cell, 645 5915
Barbara Dorris (Outreach Director, SNAP) 862 7688
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