AG adds 4 to church abuse list

AUGUSTA – The Maine attorney general’s office released additional documents Friday relating to allegations of sexual abuse of minors by Roman Catholic religious personnel, bringing the number of deceased individuals subject to allegations to 25.

“We are now certain that all responsive documents have been produced,” Leanne Robbin, the attorney general office’s chief for financial crimes and civil rights, wrote in a cover letter.

The documents released Friday included reports of allegations against four newly named people, including three priests and a nun.

Some of the allegations appeared to date to the 1930s and 1940s.

In May, the attorney general’s office released more than 100 pages of documents relating to allegations of sexual abuse of minors involving 21 deceased Roman Catholic clergy.

The documents had been screened to eliminate names of alleged victims and witnesses. They included diocesan records, investigative reports and other material.

The documents were made public in response to an April ruling by the Maine Supreme Court. In that split decision, the court ruled 4-3 that the attorney general must release the files to Blethen Maine Newspapers, owner of the Portland Press Herald, Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel newspapers.

Blethen Maine Newspapers filed a Freedom of Access request with the attorney general in 2002 seeking records pertaining to the attorney general’s investigation of alleged sexual abuse by priests who are now deceased.