Court to Rule on Diocese 'Shell Game'

NY Newsday ^ | July 17, 2003 | Stephanie Saul

[presidio9]

Bishop Thomas Daily presides over the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, a job with perks - a staff, first-class travel and the use of a mansion. Yet lawyers for Daily claim he is not paid as an officer or director of the diocese and, therefore, can't be sued.

Judges in state appellate court in Brooklyn will take up that argument today, after a lower court judge in Queens, Justice Duane Alphonse Hart, last month accused the diocese's lawyers of running a "shell game" and ordered them to turn over all of Daily's financial records.

The fight over Daily's legal liability is the latest tack in a lawsuit by the former principal of St. Elizabeth School in Ozone Park. Principal Barbara Samide last year accused the parish's then-pastor, the Rev. John Thompson, of sexually abusing her. Her $5-million lawsuit also names the diocese, Daily and several of his deputies.

Thompson has denied the abuse allegations, but he pleaded guilty to stealing $95,000 in parish funds. He was sentenced to probation and ordered to make restitution.

In claiming Daily can't be sued, the diocese is relying on a state law designed to protect unpaid officers of non-profit organizations from legal action. Samide's lawyer, Michael Dowd, argues that it shouldn't apply to the bishop.

[wideawake]

Daily is not a good guy. He is as responsible as anyone for permitting Paul Shanley to continue his crimes. He deserves whatever he gets.

[Support Free Republic]

Hint! Hint!Hint! Hint!Hint! Hint!

[presidio9]

I agree with you, but McCarthy has got the legal implications wrong. Daily's lawyers claim that his personal wealth is insignificant. McCarthy seems to think that bishops own their cathedrals.

[mj1234]

I think what they are getting at is the LIFESTYLE that he

LIVES!--SHOWS HE HAS MONEY-that compensation is being hidden.

What about reverend AL SHARPTON?? -same deal he has lost in

court and owes (I belive $200K )AL claims he has NO assets

his suits ,food, housing -everything is provided by his church.
This ruling may come back to haunt spooky AL.

[George W. Bush]

Principal Barbara Samide last year accused the parish's then-pastor, the Rev. John Thompson, of sexually abusing her.

If I understand it correctly, Daily has enough distance from this case that he may be found innocent.

Merely because a person heads a parent organization of a Roman school or charity doesn't necessarily make them personally culpable for a scandal.

This is very different from the bishops who repeatedly transferred known pedophiles from parish to parish.

I'm no fan of Rome but the bishop may be innocent in this case. The accuser will have to prove that he could have done something about it. A lot of these he-harassed-me cases are just disgruntled employees who are fishing for deep pockets with the help of a lawyer. Generally, a lot of he-says-she-says is involved.

I think that there are a lot of money-grubbing lawyers going after the church of Rome's money for any reason they can invent. I'd prefer that the lawsuits focus on those who were abused by known repeat pedophiles. That is what deserves the real punishment.

[presidio9]

I think that there are a lot of money-grubbing lawyers going after the church of Rome's money for any reason they can invent. I'd prefer that the lawsuits focus on those who were abused by known repeat pedophiles. That is what deserves the real punishment.

Right. And they are being egged on and inspired by a leftistist media that has a bone to pick with the most anti-homosexual, anti-organization establishment on the face of the Earth.

[eastsider]

Principal Barbara Samide last year accused the parish's then-pastor, the Rev. John Thompson, of sexually abusing her.

Samide is suing Thompson for sexual harassment, not abuse, at least according to the thread "Ousted Principal Slams Church" that was posted last year when the action was brought.

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

God Bless Barbara Samide for fighting these pukes.

[eastsider]

God Bless Barbara Samide for fighting these pukes.

Amen!