FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — The Diocese of Little Rock and a church in northwest Arkansas are being sued by an unidentified person who alleges both were negligent for allowing a priest to sexually abuse him.
The lawsuit filed by "John Doe 201" claims that he was sexually assaulted when he was a teenager by priest Joseph Correnti.
Correnti, who died in 2002, was among a dozen members of the clergy identified by the Little Rock diocese who had credible or substantiated claims of abuse against them.
The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages from the diocese and St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Tontitown.
Diocese spokesman Dennis Lee declined to comment Friday on the allegations but said anyone with knowledge of clergy abuse is encouraged to report it.