Fr. William Geiger
Diocese of Harrisburg
Ordained: 1954
Died: 2007
Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations against Father William Geiger:
On May 1st, 2003 a lawsuit was filed by 3 men in Ohio alleging they were sexually abused in the 1970's by William Geiger and another Redemptorist priest. William Geiger was also a part of the Redemptorist order, and worked in Lima, Ohio at the parish where the 3 men claimed the abuse occurred. The boys were 6-10 at the time of the alleged abuse. The identity of the second priest has not been specified due to confusion as to who it was.
When the lawsuit was originally filed, Geiger was working near Charlotte, North Carolina, but the 2002 Directory shows him assigned to a Pennsylvania church in the Harrisburg diocese. The lawsuit was settled in 2004.
William Geiger died in June of 2007. His name was included on the Diocese of Harrisburg's 2018 list of credibly accused clergy members. No known allegations occurred while Geiger was a part of the diocese in Pennsylvania.
In February 2020, the Diocese of Harrisburg filed for bankruptcy protection. As part of its bankruptcy, the Diocese of Harrisburg will be reviewing and paying claims for anyone sexually abused by diocesan priests and lay employees. This will likely include claims filed on behalf of anyone whose case may be beyond the statute of limitations.
Ahead of the grand jury report, the Diocese of Harrisburg released the names of 71 priests, seminarians and laypersons accused of sexually abusing children since 1941. This was from an updated list that the diocese released in August of 2018. After the report was released, the total was over 301 identified and accused priests in Pennsylvania alone.
William Geiger is included in the bankruptcy proceeding and falls under the category of cases where the abuse was alleged to have occurred in another diocese.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims of sexual abuse in the Diocese of Harrisburg and throughout Pennsylvania. The Diocese of Harrisburg filed for federal bankruptcy protection in February 2020. Anyone sexually abused by a priest or employee of the Diocese of Harrisburg may be entitled to file a claim against the Diocese in these bankruptcy proceedings, but very strict filing deadlines apply. Most victims of abuse in the Diocese of Harrisburg will never be able to take action against the Diocese of Harrisburg if they miss this bankruptcy filing deadline, so it is important that you contact us immediately to discuss your potential case.
Contact us at 888-283-9922 or adam@adamhorowitzlaw.com to discuss your legal options today.