New Lawsuits Accuse 11 Of Clergy Sex Abuse
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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- New lawsuits were filed Thursday on behalf of 14 alleged victims of clergy child sex abuse.
A law firm announced the suits were filed in 12 complaints that named the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh, Bishop David Zubik and Cardinal Donald Wuerl as defendants.
The complaints name eight priests who were already named in the grand jury report along with three new individuals named by victims who have since come forward for the first time.
The priests accused in the new lawsuits include:
- John Hoehl, at Quigley High School
- Francis Siler, accused by two alleged victims at St. Catherine Parish and St. Margaret parish
- William O'Malley, accused by two alleged victims at St. Canice Parish and St. Francis de Sales parish
- George Zirwas, at St. Michael Parish
- George Leech, at St. Bartholomew Parish
- Edward Huff, at the parish of North American Martyrs
- Raymond R. Rhoden, at St. Francis of Assisi parish
- Ernest Paone, at Madonna of Jerusalem parish
- John Unger, at Sacred Heart Elementary School
- Peter Pilarski, at Resurrection parish
- Lawrence O'Connell, accused by two alleged victims at St. Gabriel parish
Leech, Pilarski and Unger's names were not disclosed in the grand jury report.
The earliest alleged incident happened in 1960 and the most recent happened in 1983. The victims' ages at the time of the alleged abuses ranged from 7 years old to 16 years old.
O'Malley, O'Connell and Huff were all previously named in other lawsuits against the Diocese.
