Two Men Sue Charlotte Diocese For Abuse By Priests Listed As Credibly Accused
This week, two men filed lawsuits against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte. They claimed they were abused when they were minors by priests who worked within the Charlotte Diocese. Both priests were named on a list of clergy credibly accused of sexual abuse released late last year.
The Diocese of Charlotte issued a statement saying in part, "We disagree that the diocese is liable to the plaintiffs."
Charlotte attorney Sam McGee hopes his two clients will have their day in court, something he says they never got. Both men previously filed lawsuits regarding the alleged abuse they say occurred when they were minors in the 1970s and '80s. Both cases were dismissed based on the statute of limitations.
"These are two cases for two victims whose allegations have already been listed as credible allegations on the list that the diocese put out at the end of last year, so these are worthwhile claims, "McGee said.
Richard Farwell, who currently resides in Florida, and Michael Joseph Kelleher, who is deceased, were named in the respective lawsuits as the alleged abusers. They were also named as having credible accusations against them on a list released by the Charlotte Diocese late last year.
McGee says why his clients filed lawsuits once again has to do a with a recent change in North Carolina law. The statute of limitations to file a lawsuit if someone was sexually abused as a minor, moved from 21 years old to 28 years old.
McGee says both plaintiffs are middle-aged, but there is currently a two-year window for anyone who was sexually abused as a minor to come forward with a civil suit.
"The sponsors of that bill really wanted to extend the statute of limitations more in recognition of the fact that most victims do not come forward until they are much more older than 28 years old, but they were unable to accomplish that," McGee said. "So they created this window which they described as a 'one shot deal' to allow claims to be brought."
McGee says his clients filed the lawsuits after he received a clear message from the diocese that it wasn’t willing to settle outside of court.
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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