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Jury Deadlocked in Priest Sex Abuse Trial

Burlington, Vermont - October 8, 2009

A Burlington jury could not reach a unanimous verdict today in the latest priest-abuse lawsuit against the Vermont Catholic Diocese, and there are indications a mistrial could be next.

The jury is deliberating whether the Vermont Catholic Diocese will compensate a former altar boy who is seeking millions of dollars in damages because he was sexually molested by a Vermont priest 33 years ago.

The former altar boy, now 44, claims he suffered life-long psychological harm and became an alcoholic at age 11, because he was groped dozens of times by former priest Edward Paquette.

He claims the Diocese should pay as much as $10 million dollars in damages, and as punishment, because Vermont Bishop John Marshall ignored warnings that Paquette was a pedophile, and placed him in churches where he could abuse children.

The jury deliberated for two hours Wednesday, and after five hours of deliberation Thursday, indicated they were deadlocked and could not reach a unanimous verdict. Two hours into deliberations Thursday, they sent in a question asking the judge to clarify and explain a phrase used in the jury instructions dealing with punitive damages. Judge Helen Toor indicated that would mean the jurors were having a problem agreeing on the punitive damages.

Judge Toor sent them back to try again, but after another hour and half they had still not reached a verdict. She sent them home at 4:30 and they will return Friday at 9 a.m. to resume their work.

If they are not able to agree on a unanimous verdict it will be the second straight priest-abuse trial to end in a mistrial with a hung jury.

Two others last year ended with the Diocese ordered to pay nearly $12 million dollars in damages to two other former altar boys who abused by Paquette.

The Diocese has appealed those awards to the Vermont Supreme Court.

The Diocese has also paid more than $1.6 million dollars to settle out-of-court with other victims of priest sexual abuse.

23 more abuse lawsuits, most of them filed by Paquette victims, are waiting to go to trial.

Brian Joyce - WCAX News