MADISON, Wis. — The defrocked Roman Catholic cardinal who grew to become the face of the church’s clergy intercourse abuse disaster has been charged in Wisconsin with sexually assaulting an 18-year-old man greater than 45 years in the past, court docket information present.
A prison grievance filed Friday alleges that Theodore McCarrick, who was faraway from the priesthood in 2019 after a Vatican investigation discovered he had sexually molested adults and youngsters, fondled a person in 1977 whereas staying at a cabin on Geneva Lake in southeastern Wisconsin.
The alleged sufferer, who shouldn’t be named, instructed investigators that McCarrick had repeatedly sexually assaulted him since he was 11 and even introduced him to events the place different grownup males sexually assaulted him, in keeping with the grievance.
McCarrick grew to become the highest-ranking Roman Catholic official within the U.S. to face prison fees for sexual abuse when he was accused in 2021 of sexually assaulting a teenage boy in Massachusetts at a marriage reception in 1974. His attorneys requested the choose in that case earlier this 12 months to dismiss the costs, saying that McCarrick, now 92 and affected by dementia, shouldn’t be competent to face trial.
The once-powerful priest was ordained in 1958 and have become archbishop in Newark, New Jersey, in 1986 after which archbishop of Washington, D.C., in 2000. He rose to energy regardless of church officers’ data of accusations towards him. A two-year Vatican investigation into McCarrick’s tenure discovered credible experiences of his problematic habits courting again to 1999, together with an inquiry confirming that McCarrick had slept with seminarians.
The church has confirmed it made monetary settlements with adults who accused McCarrick of sexual misconduct. McCarrick retired in 2006 however continued to be energetic in political circles till he was defrocked by Pope Francis in 2019.
Wisconsin prosecutors discovered of the alleged 1977 assault by way of a program devoted to prosecuting cases of abuse by religion leaders, in keeping with a information launch. Officers had been capable of cost McCarrick as a result of the statute of limitations doesn’t apply to people who find themselves not residents of the state. The same regulation allowed Massachusetts prosecutors to convey their case towards McCarrick greater than 40 years later.
McCarrick’s legal professional in Massachusetts, William Fick, didn’t instantly return a telephone name or e-mail despatched Monday. An legal professional for McCarrick has not but been listed within the Wisconsin case.
• Hurt Venhuizen is a corps member for the Related Press/Report for America Statehouse Information Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit nationwide service program that locations journalists in native newsrooms to report on undercovered points. Observe Venhuizen on Twitter.
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