BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) "We're glad that it's over," said attorney Steve Boyd who represents survivors of child sexual abuse. "The Diocese has racked up almost a million and a half dollars in legal bills defending itself from the
attorney general. We presume that they'll stop paying those legal bills."
In a settlement with the state attorney general's office, the Diocese of Buffalo
agreed to a public monitor of priests who are credibly accused of sexual abuse. It also agreed to submit to an annual compliance audit by a former FBI official with expertise in clergy sexual abuse.
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For the settlement itself, Boyd told WBEN, it's a good news, bad news situation. "The good news is that, for the first time, there is government oversight of their operations, which is very unusual in a church setting. That will provide more strength to child protection policies. The bad news is the two bishops who were at the heart of this, completely skate. They can go back to their ministries. The only thing they can't do, is be on the board of a charitable foundation."
Boyd asked rhetorically what organization could be chomping at the bit to have either former Bishop Richard Malone or Bishop Edward Grosz involved in their organization? Answering his own question, he called it a "nothing burger." He also noted the settlement could have gone a lot further and it is only in place for five years.
Malone resigned in 2019. Grosz retired in 2020.
Boyd represents hundreds of child sexual abuse victims in WNY. He said this settlement will have no impact on those lawsuits. But for some who have made complaints to the Diocesan Review Board, there will now be oversight for future complaints.
Regarding individual suits against the Diocese, Boyd said they are currently in the bankruptcy process. "It's not just survivors against the diocese. It's more of a triangle. Survivors versus the diocese and the insurance companies.
There is a ton of insurance money that the diocese paid to protect people who brought the claims."
Boyd expects to see progress in those cases over the next year.
Bishop Michael Fisher, appointed Bishop in January of 2021, is still considered a new leader of Western New York Catholics. Boyd said how he ends up looking in accountability and transparency, will probably play out in the next several months "Our firm and other firms have close to 900 cases against the Buffalo Diocese. If those cases settle, and they end with monetary and non-monetary guarantees, that's where the rubber will meet the road in how Bishop Michael Fisher will fare in all of this."