Denver Archdiocese settles abuse claims for $5.5 million

Published: 2008-07-02

DENVER (CNS) -- The Archdiocese of Denver has settled 18 claims of sexual abuse by three priests for a total of $5.5 million, Archbishop Charles J. Chaput announced July 1. The latest settlement brings to $8.2 million the amount the archdiocese has paid to settle 42 claims against two of those priests. The newly announced settlement includes 16 lawsuits and two separate claims, said Archbishop Chaput's statement. He said all but one of the claims were related to abuse committed by two priests, both deceased, Fathers Robert White and Leonard Abercrombie. A third deceased priest, Father Lawrence St. Peter, was the subject of the remaining claim, he said. All of the cases of abuse addressed by the settlement occurred between 27 and 54 years ago, the archdiocese said. A background sheet distributed by the archdiocese said 37 lawsuits related to abuse by Fathers White and Abercrombie had been filed against the archdiocese since 2005. With the settlement announced July 1, all but one of those lawsuits have been resolved, as well as six other claims, which never resulted in lawsuits.

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