January 08, 2010
New Spokane Priest Abuse Trial To Start Soon
SPOKANE -- A new era of clergy sex abuse cases is about to begin in Spokane. Preliminary hearings are underway in a case of a man who claims he was molested at a Catholic group home for boys. It's the first of what could be as many as 20 trials to be held during the next two years. KPLU's Doug Nadvornick reports. The Catholic Church set up the Morning Star Boys Ranch about 50 years ago to help straighten out wayward young people, mostly boys. The facility had a sterling reputation in the community. But that started to crumble several years ago, when some former residents alleged that they were molested. Many accused the former director, Father Joseph Weitensteiner. He's now retired and has denied wrongdoing.Click Here For The Full Story......