Minnesota Media Advisory: First civil lawsuit to be filed under the Minnesota Child Victims Act

Media Advisory, May 28, 2013, St. Paul News Conference Wednesday

 First civil lawsuit to be filed under the Minnesota Child Victims Act: Imperative to the public safety of Minnesotans,complaint seeks the release of the names of 46 priests in the Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis and the Diocese of Winona

 What:  At a news conference on Wednesday in St. Paul, prominent clergy abuse attorney Jeff Anderson will:
· Announce the filing of the first civil lawsuit filed under a new Minnesota law signed by Governor Dayton last week eliminating the civil statute of limitations for children who were sexually abused and allowing a 3-year window for past victims of childhood sexual abuse to file lawsuits against their perpetrator and/or an institution that may have allowed the abuse.  The lawsuit, filed on behalf of a 51 year-old Twin Cities man, whose identity will remain private, will name the Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis, the Diocese of Winona and Father Thomas Adamson as defendants.
· Request the release of a list, under a legal count for public nuisance, which contains the names of 46 priests in the Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis and the Diocese of Winona with credible allegations of sexual abuse.
· Introduce Jim Fitzpatrick, former priest, who reported Father Adamson’s abuse of boys in Caledonia, MN as early as 1963 to then Bishop Edward Fitzgerald in the Diocese of Winona.
· Introduce childhood sexual abuse survivor Jim Keenan of Savage, Minnesota whose lawsuit against his offender was recently dismissed by the Minnesota Supreme Court and whose efforts helped spur the legislature to pass the Child Victims Act.

WHEN:  Wednesday, May 29th 2013 at 1:00 PM

WHERE: Law office of Jeff Anderson and Associates

              366 Jackson Street
              Suite 100
              St. Paul, MN 55101

WHO:   Attorney Jeff Anderson, a St. Paul, Minnesota-based, internationally known trial lawyer widely recognized as a pioneer in sexual abuse litigation. Anderson has represented thousands of survivors of sexual abuse by authority figures and clergy.  Jim Fitzpatrick a retired priest who reported Father Adamson to the Diocese when parents from Caledonia reported Adamson was abusing boys at St. John’s parish.  Jim Keenan a survivor who met Father Adamson while he served at Church of the Risen Savior in Burnsville, MN.

 

Notes:
·  Information packets including a complete timeline and map of Adamson’s assignments in Minnesota will be available at the news conference.
· Adamson, removed from the priesthood in 1984, was last known to be living in Rochester, MN as of March 2012 and is banned from all parishes and schools in the Diocese.
Contact Jeff Anderson:  Office/651.227.9990  Mobile/612.817.8665