BECKLEY, W.Va. (AP) -- A judge on Thursday dropped the Mormon
Church from a lawsuit accusing it and a hospital of failing to
report a case of child sexual abuse involving a church member.
The church and its top officials can't be sued because the
church is not incorporated as a legal entity, county Judge H.L.
Kirkpatrick ruled. The church can only be sued through a
class-action lawsuit, he said.
A child and her mother, who are not identified, are seeking $750
million in the 1996 lawsuit. They contended the church and Raleigh
General Hospital knew about the abuse in 1989 and did not report it
as required by state law.
The children's father, James Adams, told at least three church
members the he abused his daughter, then 4, and son, then 8, the
lawsuit said. He received counseling but the mother, who divorced
him in 1988, was not told, the lawsuit said.
Adams pleaded guilty in 1994 to a number of sexual abuse charges
and is serving a life sentence.
Church spokesman Don LeFevre said the church is pleased with the
ruling but "condemns most strongly abusive behavior in any form."
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Date: Sun, 18 Oct 1998 03:37:29 +0800
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