Diocese in Colorado settles abuse lawsuits

PUEBLO, Colo., Oct. 30 (UPI) -- A Florida law firm said Thursday 23 priest abuse lawsuits against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pueblo, Colo., and Marianist Religious Order have been settled.

Attorneys Jeffrey M. Herman and Adam D. Horowitz confirmed that a $4 million settlement has been reached in a series of lawsuits against the diocese in Pueblo over alleged abuse committed by Brother William Mueller, The Denver Post said.

The plaintiffs in the 23 lawsuits had accused Mueller of molesting them at Pueblo's Roncalli High School between 1966 and 1971.

Herman and Horowitz alleged that in addition to the alleged acts of molestation at the Colorado school, Mueller was linked to abuse cases in St. Louis and San Antonio. Mueller had served at high schools in both cities for more than 20 years.

Herman told the Post that while the financial settlement was satisfactory, he was still troubled by the way the Marianist Religious Order handled the allegations.

"We are happy to get closure for our clients but I am disturbed by the allegations that the Marianists knew William Mueller was a sexual predator in St. Louis before they sent him to Pueblo," he said to the newspaper.