Sexually Abused By A Priest In The Archdiocese Of Denver? We Can Help.

Our law firm is offering free, confidential evaluations of clergy sexual abuse claims involving priests of the Archdiocese of Denver for anyone sexually abused after January 1, 1960. We have been handling clergy abuse cases for decades and have the experience you need to seek justice for what happened to you. Contact us today at 954-641-2100 or send an email to find out your legal options.

Recent developments in the state of Colorado, including the Attorney General’s recent investigation of sexual abuse allegations against Colorado dioceses, have changed the legal landscape for survivors of sexual abuse by clergy in the Archdiocese of Denver. The Attorney General investigation revealed abuse and cover-up patterns similar to those found in New York and Pennsylvania in their groundbreaking grand jury investigations and resulted in statute of limitations reform for Colorado’s abuse survivors.

For a limited time, almost anyone harmed by a priest or employee of the Archdiocese of Denver can file civil lawsuits seeking justice for the lifetime of hurt and shame that is caused by childhood sexual abuse.

Due to the recent passage of a new statute of limitations law in 2021, anyone sexually abused as a child in the Archdiocese of Denver after Jan. 1, 1960, can file a lawsuit against the Denver Archdiocese for the harm they suffered.

For a short time, a “window” as it is often called, will allow almost anyone sexually abused as a child in Colorado to file lawsuits against their perpetrators and the institutions that protected and enabled the abusers, even if the statute of limitations had previously run out on your case. That second-chance window opens on Jan. 1, 2022, but will only be open for a very limited time, so it is important that you act now to discuss your legal options.

Once the window has expired, many clergy sexual abuse claims will be forever time-barred, meaning you can never take action again. Therefore, it is very important that you contact us today to determine your legal options against the Archdiocese of Denver and anyone else who has hurt you.

Our lawyers are among the most experienced in the country in cases of clergy sexual abuse – and experience matters when bishops have the toughest lawyers in America working hard to protect their secrets.

Sexual abuse by any member of the clergy is an egregious breach of trust. Adam Horowitz is among the most experienced attorneys in the country in representing persons sexually abused by priests from the Catholic church and clergy of many other faiths. Since 2000, the lawyers of Horowitz Law have handled hundreds of clergy sexual abuse cases involving various religious institutions, including Roman Catholic dioceses and religious orders in Colorado and nationwide. These cases have arisen in religious school, churches/parishes, seminaries, religious counseling, retreats, schools and other activities sponsored by religious institutions. He was among the first attorneys to sue the Archdiocese of Denver for sexual abuse by two notorious serial predators, Fr. Harold White and Fr. Mark Matson.

In these cases, the lawyers of Horowitz Law have often prevailed on complex issues involving statutes of limitations, the First Amendment, and the discovery of “confidential” records that the Catholic Church has tried to conceal for nearly a century in some cases. In fighting these battles, our attorneys have become very familiar with the church’s unique hierarchy, record-keeping policies, terminology, and defense tactics, and are often called upon by colleagues to consult on these matters.

Most importantly, we have become familiar with the unique challenges and needs of survivors of clergy sexual abuse – and their families – during the legal process. Your safety and well-being are always our first priority.

Through our own investigation, we have identified 39 Catholic clergy accused of sexual abuse in the Archdiocese of Denver, and that number is expected to grow.

Unlike many of his colleagues, Archbishop Aquila has never released the names of clergy accused of sexually abusing children in the Archdiocese of Denver. This made the Attorney General investigation even more critical for the safety of the general public and the healing of many wounded victims.

Through our own investigative efforts, and with the list of accused priests released by the Attorney General in October 2019, our team has identified 39 Catholic clergy assigned in the Archdiocese of Denver who have been publicly accused of sexually abusing minors, some of whom were named for the first time by our lawyers personally. Additionally, the Attorney General report identified four priests, but did not provide their names, who “more likely than not sexually abused children outside of Colorado  either before or after they served as priests in Colorado.”

We believe it to be the most comprehensive list of accused priests publicly available today. In many cases, the priests listed below were the subject of multiple allegations, or were moved to a new parish after allegations arose.

The accused clergy we have identified are:

• Rev. Leonard Abercrombie
• Rev. Robert Banigan
• Rev. Thomas P. Barry
• Rev. Prosper Bemunuge
• Rev. Joseph Bosetti
• Rev. Charles Brown
• Rev. Rafael Jairo Calle
• Mr. Wilfred L. Carignan (Trappist Seminarian)
• Rev. Bennett Colucci (Capuchin Franciscan)
• Rev. Dorino DeLazzer
• Rev. Kent Drotar
• Rev. Timothy J. Evans
• Rev. Edward Fraczkowski
• Rev. Kenneth Funk
• Rev. Marshall Gourley (Theatine)
• Rev. Neil Hewitt
• Rev. John V. Holloway
• Rev. Daniel Kelleher
• Rev. Richard J. Kurtz (Jesuit)
• Rev. Delisle Lemieux
• Rev. Mark N. Matson (Theatine Fathers)
• Rev. John J. McGinn
• Rev. Maurice McInerney
• Fr. James Moreno
• Rev. J. Bart Nadal (Theatine)
• Rev. Michael O’Brien
• Rev. Patrick H. O’Liddy (Jesuit)
• Rev. Francis Pettit
• Rev. James Rasby
• Rev. Leonard Scezney
• Rev. John Harley Schmitt
• Msgr. Gregory Smith
• Most Rev. Lawrence St. Peter
• Rev. John Francis Stein
• Rev. Melvin F. Thompson
• Rev. George Weibel
• Rev. Robert Whipkey
• Rev. Harold Robert White
• Rev. Thomas Woerth
• Rev. Charles Woodrich

For many years our lead attorney, Adam Horowitz, has been at the forefront of exposing sexual abuse by priest in the state of Colorado. Besides being among the first attorneys to file clergy abuse lawsuits in Colorado, Adam Horowitz fought for and won key battles on the First Amendment, statute of limitations, and discovery of priest personnel files. Along the way, Adam Horowitz won large settlements for his clients.

Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Archdiocese of Denver in Colorado. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest in Colorado, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by Catholic clergy in the Archdiocese of Denver now have legal options, but filing deadlines will apply so do not delay in reaching out to us. Our lawyers have decades of experience representing survivors of clergy sexual abuse in Colorado and nationwide. We can help.

Contact us at 954-641-2100 to discuss your options today.