Church sex abuse lawyers in Delaware have obtained a $30 million verdict for a victim after a jury found that St. Elizabeth Roman Catholic parish was grossly negligent in failing to properly supervise former priest Francis Deluca, according to delawareonline.com. The victim, when a teenager in the 1960s, was repeatedly abused by the priest.
The parish is responsible for 3 million of the $30 million in damages awarded to the plaintiff, but they could owe more money soon. The jury has not yet ruled on potential punitive damages in case. The presiding judge has ordered the jury to return to court next week to hear further testimony before determining a possible punitive damage award. Often punitive damages are worth much more than the initial compensatory verdict.
On the witness stand, the 58-year-old victim reportedly told the jury in this case was not about money and just wanted to get the truth out and to be compensated for losing his childhood.
Note: Illinois sex abuse lawyers at our firm currently have several cases pending against the Chicago Archdiocese, one of which is expected to go to trial in 2011.
Click here to read the story as reported by the New York Times.