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Fair Three from WH sue church over abuse Civil suit seeks damages over Vollmer allegations
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Vollmer, suspended from duty in March 2002 by Bishop William Murphy after being named in published reports as an alleged abuser, is accused by nine of the defendants of sexual and psychological abuse. Of the three St. Thomas parishioners, only one, Nassau County resident Louis Martino, chose to put his name on the lawsuit. The other two, identified as Plaintiff 2 and Plaintiff 4, no longer reside in Nassau County.
The suit, filed on behalf of the plaintiffs by Garden City firm Dell and Little, LLP, seeks $500 million in compensatory damages and $1 billion in punitive damages. Also named as defendants are the Rev. Angelo Ditta, the Rev. William Burke (now deceased), and Brother Howard Murphy, a teacher at St. Mary's High School in 1984.
Martino, 34, an account executive at a direct-marketing firm, said he was abused by both Vollmer and Murphy. Martino said he first met Vollmer as a student at St. Thomas's elementary school and was abused numerous times between 1982 and 1987, between the ages of 13 to 17.
In the lawsuit, Martino claims that the incidents occurred in Vollmer's rooms at the rectories of both St. Thomas and Our Lady of Lords in West Islip. The alleged abuse included sexual conduct both alone and in the presence of other boys, and the suit also accuses Vollmer of supplying Martino with pornography.
Martino also accused Murphy, who was his high school guidance counselor at St. Mary's, of abusing him in 1984 while on a retreat in Wappingers Falls in upstate New York.
"I have a good life, a good job, a good career," said Martino at last week's press conference. "The public awareness has to be raised. You can't trust these people." In the lawsuit, Martino said that the trauma of the alleged abuse has caused him pain and suffering so severe that it had not only "shattered his faith" but also led to a suicide attempt.
The other two plaintiffs from St. Thomas, one living in Suffolk and the other in California, relayed similar accusations. Plaintiff 2, a former altar boy and member of the parish youth group, said he was abused between ages 13 and 15, from 1982 and 1985. Plaintiff 4, who attended the school and worked in the rectory, says he was abused between 1980 and 1983.
The diocese says it will examine the suit in depth with its attorneys, the Garden City law firm of Spellman, Walsh, Rice, Shure and Markus, before responding to it. "The diocese intends to defend this case vigorously, as any other institution in our society has a right and an obligation to do," said diocese spokesperson Joanne Novarro.
Because the statute of limitations has run out on all of the allegations contained in the civil lawsuit, it faces possible dismissal. But lead attorney Melanie Little believes it still has merit. "There is a mountain of evidence that what the diocese did was perpetuate a fraud on the Catholics of Long Island and the general public," said Little at the press conference. "They knew the schools and the churches were not safe; they were infested with pedophiles."
Also named as defendants in the lawsuits because of their supervisory roles over the diocese are now-deceased Bishops Walter Kellenberg, John McGann and James McHugh. Bishop William Murphy, despite taking over long after the alleged incidents took place, is also named.
Vollmer, who is no longer active in the diocese, could not be located to comment on the lawsuit.
The suit, filed on behalf of the plaintiffs by Garden City firm Dell and Little, LLP, seeks $500 million in compensatory damages and $1 billion in punitive damages. Also named as defendants are the Rev. Angelo Ditta, the Rev. William Burke (now deceased), and Brother Howard Murphy, a teacher at St. Mary's High School in 1984.
Martino, 34, an account executive at a direct-marketing firm, said he was abused by both Vollmer and Murphy. Martino said he first met Vollmer as a student at St. Thomas's elementary school and was abused numerous times between 1982 and 1987, between the ages of 13 to 17.
In the lawsuit, Martino claims that the incidents occurred in Vollmer's rooms at the rectories of both St. Thomas and Our Lady of Lords in West Islip. The alleged abuse included sexual conduct both alone and in the presence of other boys, and the suit also accuses Vollmer of supplying Martino with pornography.
Martino also accused Murphy, who was his high school guidance counselor at St. Mary's, of abusing him in 1984 while on a retreat in Wappingers Falls in upstate New York.
"I have a good life, a good job, a good career," said Martino at last week's press conference. "The public awareness has to be raised. You can't trust these people." In the lawsuit, Martino said that the trauma of the alleged abuse has caused him pain and suffering so severe that it had not only "shattered his faith" but also led to a suicide attempt.
The other two plaintiffs from St. Thomas, one living in Suffolk and the other in California, relayed similar accusations. Plaintiff 2, a former altar boy and member of the parish youth group, said he was abused between ages 13 and 15, from 1982 and 1985. Plaintiff 4, who attended the school and worked in the rectory, says he was abused between 1980 and 1983.
The diocese says it will examine the suit in depth with its attorneys, the Garden City law firm of Spellman, Walsh, Rice, Shure and Markus, before responding to it. "The diocese intends to defend this case vigorously, as any other institution in our society has a right and an obligation to do," said diocese spokesperson Joanne Novarro.
Because the statute of limitations has run out on all of the allegations contained in the civil lawsuit, it faces possible dismissal. But lead attorney Melanie Little believes it still has merit. "There is a mountain of evidence that what the diocese did was perpetuate a fraud on the Catholics of Long Island and the general public," said Little at the press conference. "They knew the schools and the churches were not safe; they were infested with pedophiles."
Also named as defendants in the lawsuits because of their supervisory roles over the diocese are now-deceased Bishops Walter Kellenberg, John McGann and James McHugh. Bishop William Murphy, despite taking over long after the alleged incidents took place, is also named.
Vollmer, who is no longer active in the diocese, could not be located to comment on the lawsuit.
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