Judge says religious order must open files. (related to California sex abuse cases.)

[Forkboy]

LOS ANGELES - A judge yesterday ordered the Franciscans, a Roman Catholic religious order, to release hundreds of pages of private personnel files and other documents as part of a clergy abuse settlement.

Lichtman ruled that the documents must be released within 21 days, but if the order and the brothers named in the records appeal, the ruling could be put on hold.

An attorney for the plaintiffs said the previously undisclosed documents could reveal how long the Franciscans knew about alleged abusers and how they dealt with them. The documents also could contain the medical histories of the accused, Tim Hale said.

"We're going to see things that have never been seen, and there's going to be pretty damaging and dramatic information in there," Hale predicted.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2009/04/03/judge_says_religious_order_must_open_files/

[MADem]

1. Let the shredding party begin!!!!

Really....it's sad, but true.