Green Bay diocese settles with 2 sex abuse victims - WAOW - Newsline 9, Wausau News, Weather, Sports

Green Bay diocese settles with 2 sex abuse victims

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By Kelly Mogan, Senior Producer - email

APPLETON, Wis. (AP) -- The Diocese of Green Bay has settled a lawsuit brought by two brothers who accused the diocese of fraud.

Todd and Troy Merryfield alleged the diocese withheld knowledge of a former priest's prior sexual misconduct. The Rev. John Feeney later was convicted of sexually abusing the brothers when they were boys.

The Post-Crescent reports a judge dismissed the lawsuit, based on the agreement. Terms of the settlement were not immediately available.

Bishop David Ricken issued a statement apologizing to the Merryfields and all victims of child sexual abuse.

An Outagamie County jury found the diocese liable last year and awarded the brothers $700,000.

But the judge overturned the verdict and ordered a new trial after ruling that a juror had been biased.

A retrial had been scheduled for May.

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