Ruling requiring Archbishop Nienstedt to testify in abuse case stands
By Emily Gurnon
February 16, 2014
A judge has denied a motion by the Twin Cities archdiocese to prevent Archbishop John Nienstedt from testifying about priests accused of child sexual abuse.
Ramsey County District Judge John Van de North ruled Sunday afternoon that he would not stay his orders of Tuesday regarding the testimony of Nienstedt and former Vicar General Kevin McDonough. He also refused to stay his order that the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis and the Diocese of Winona submit names of priests accused of sexual abuse since 2004.
The archdiocese and diocese filed motions Thursday asking Van de North to stay his orders pending their appeal of the issues to the Minnesota Court of Appeals.
The legal wrangling came in the case of John Doe 1 vs. the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, the Diocese of Winona and Thomas Adamson.
Adamson is a former priest who has been sued more than a dozen times for allegedly sexually abusing children.
Attorneys Jeff Anderson and Michael Finnegan, who represent the plaintiff, argued that the judges' orders should stand.
The archdiocese and diocese oppose what they described as "sweeping disclosures" of accused priests, even though Van de North ordered the names filed under seal. The archdiocese also argued that Nienstedt should not be forced to give a deposition in the case because the alleged abuse by Adamson occurred long before he came to the archdiocese in 2007.
Van de North told attorneys the depositions should take place within 30 days of the Feb. 11 order. Van de North told the archdiocese and diocese to submit the names of accused priests by Tuesday.
John Doe 1 is a Twin Cities man who sued in May, saying Adamson molested him in 1976 or 1977 when the priest served at St. Thomas Aquinas in St. Paul Park. The plaintiff also alleged that the archdiocese and diocese failed to respond adequately -- moving Adamson from parish to parish as allegations arose.
Winter Appeal 2023
To our friends,
2023 has been a long year with many ups and downs for us all. As we close out the year, we at SNAP hope that you are feeling like you are on your way to being healthy, fulfilled, and happy. This past year has brought both successes and challenges. Thanks to the support you have shown in the past, we’ve been able to celebrate the good days and weather the stormy ones. Now, we are once again asking for your support as we work to support survivors new and old as we ‘Move SNAP Forward.’
At SNAP we are proud to have hosted a very well-attended conference in August 2023. This event allowed us to gather friends, survivors, advocates, and allies for a weekend of camaraderie and connection. We were so happy to be able to welcome many first-time attendees to gather in person and are already looking forward to the next conference.
To strengthen our movement for justice, healing, and prevention, SNAP will be expanding our peer support and providing more volunteer opportunities in the coming year. Through this great work, we are ensuring survivor voices are represented as we work for significant change that will benefit children and survivors.
Right now, survivors worldwide are getting the help they need from SNAP, and more and more reach out to us daily, but we need your help to keep those programs going and get our volunteers the training they need to thrive.
Your tax-deductible gift to SNAP can help offset the cost of our important mission. If you are not in a position to contribute, you can still support us by sharing this letter with those who can. As we continue to fight for survivors across the globe, your donation or sharing the great work SNAP does will help us continue our work to protect the vulnerable, heal the wounded, and prevent abuse.
Your donation ensures SNAP will be there for those who need us more than ever!
Warmly,
Michael W. McDonnell, C.P.S.
Interim Executive Director
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