October 29, 2009
Catholic Diocese of Savannah Reaches $4.24 Million Settlement With Alleged Victim
SAVANNAH, GA -- The Catholic Diocese of Savannah announced today it has reached a $4.24 million settlement with a 40-year-old man who says he was sexually abused by a former priest. In a civil suit filed in 2008 in Jasper County, S.C., Savannah native Allan Ranta claimed he was molested by former priest Wayland Y. Brown from 1978 to 1983. Ranta, who was 10 to 14 years old and a student at St. James Catholic School at the time of the alleged abuse, claimed the Diocese ignored signs Brown posed a danger to children. In 2003, Brown was convicted in the sexual abuse of two Maryland boys, ages 12 and 13, nearly 30 years earlier. He was released from prison in April, 2008, after serving half of his sentence and was on parole in the Baltimore area.Click Here For The Full Story......