Assigned as follows:
St. Teresa of Avila (Pittsburgh, PA)
Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Father Cyprian Duru:
According to media reports, in June 2019, a 68-year-old retired schoolteacher filed suit against the Diocese of Pittsburgh alleging that she was raped by Father Cyprian Duru, a visiting priest from Nigeria. At the time of the alleged attack, the priest was residing at St. Teresa of Avila parish while studying at Duquesne University.
The alleged incident occurred on December 11, 2016, after the victim says Father Duru came to her home to drop off a Christmas card. According to the lawsuit, Duru followed physically overpowered her and raped her. She said when she offered him a cold drink, he followed her to her family room, overpowered her and assaulted her as she screamed for him to stop.
Allegheny County District Attorney's Office declined to prosecute Duru, calling the incident a "he-said, she-said" with no compelling physical evidence to overcome the priest's defense that the intercourse was consensual. According to the lawsuit, the Diocese of Pittsburgh received complaints from older women about Duru's behavior before the rape, but failed to take appropriate action.
Duru was removed from ministry and has no faculties to minister. His current location is unknown, but his student visa remains valid as he has never been convicted of a crime.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Diocese of Pittsburgh. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest in Pennsylvania, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by Catholic clergy in the Diocese of Pittsburgh now have legal options to recover damages due to a compensation fund created for victims. Contact us at (954) 641-2100 or adam@adamhorowitzlaw.com today.