Legal News

Annuity pays thousands to 'Hannibal Lecter of pedophile Catholic priests'

By Richard Binder

Oliver O'Grady, a Catholic priest formerly of the Stockton diocese, has admitted to abusing many children of various ages, boys and girls, and even slept with two mothers to get access to their children. He was convicted of child sexual abuse in 1993 and spent seven years in prison. In the 17 years that he's been absent from the diocese, $18.7 million has been paid to his victims.

Now living in his native Ireland, O'Grady will be paid about $788 a month for ten years via an annuity the diocese purchased seven years ago.  The ultimate total is reported by the Lodi News-Sentinel to be $94,560.

Mary Jane Doerr, associate director of the office of Child and Youth Protection for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington, D.C., says buying such an annuity is "rare, but not unheard of." Usually a defrocked priest merely retains any pension he's earned from the diocese.

Meanwhile, civil lawsuits keep emerging.  Full story here.

Full post as published by Legal Pad | LA on June 07, 2010 (boomark / email).