at a glance

The alleged sexual abuse of boys by priests, Boy Scout leaders and a sheriff’s deputy in the 1970s and ‘80s has led to at least 21 pending lawsuits in Spokane County Superior Court.

The Spokane Catholic Diocese is a defendant in 19 lawsuits involving 60 plaintiffs.

The Inland Northwest Council of the Boy Scouts of America is a defendant in one suit.

Spokane County and the sheriff’s office are defendants in another.

Here is a breakdown of some of the pending lawsuits:

Sept. 26, 2002: Ten former altar boys and Catholic students sue for unspecified damages against the Spokane Catholic Diocese. The plaintiffs allege they were sexually abused by the Rev. Patrick G. O’Donnell. The diocese’s current bishop, William Skylstad, is accused of knowing about the abuse as early as 1974 and failing to alert law enforcement authorities and restrict O’Donnell’s access to children.

Oct. 17, 2002: “John Doe,” a former Boy Scout, files suit against the diocese and the Boy Scouts for alleged abuse he suffered in the 1970s and ‘80s at the hands of O’Donnell and his friend George Robey Jr., who was a Boy Scout leader.

July 9, 2003: A plaintiff identifying himself only as “T.C.” files suit against the diocese for alleged sexual abuse over three decades by another priest, the Rev. James O’Malley, who retired in 1989.

Nov. 3, 2003: Four men who claim they were sexually abused in the 1970s and ‘80s by Spokane County sheriff’s deputy David Hahn file a claim seeking at least $2 million in damages from the county and the sheriff’s office. Their claims are rejected June 29, 2004, by attorneys for the county, and the men then file a lawsuit for damages. A private attorney is hired to defend the county. Trial is scheduled for November.

July 1, 2004: Superior Court Judge Kathleen O’Connor refuses to dismiss pending suits against the diocese, a month after Judge Maryann Moreno made the same ruling in a companion set of suits against the church.

July and August 2004: In a court deposition, O’Donnell admits molesting at least a dozen boys and having contact with many more, including some at Morning Star Boys Ranch.

Dec. 6, 2004: The Spokane Catholic Diocese files for U.S. Bankruptcy Court protection. The action, still pending, puts the brakes on the 19 lawsuits.

In the decades since allegations of sexual abuse were leveled against several prominent Spokane institutions, the organizations have adopted more stringent policies.

•The Boy Scouts of America adopted its Youth Protection, Education and Training policies during the 1980s – among the first youth groups to adopt comprehensive guidelines for the problem. The Scouts emphasize background checks and training for all adult leaders and volunteers, and they offer programs encouraging Scouts and parents to recognize and report abuse. The group’s rules prohibit one-on-one contact between adults and Scouts, and it maintains a database of people who cannot serve in Boy Scout positions for violating the rules.

•The Spokane diocese maintains a Web site listing priests who have been removed from the ministry because of sexual abuse allegations, a chart listing claims against the diocese, and copies of church policies on the matter.

The U.S. Conference of Bishops adopted a new policy in 2002 dealing with sexual abuse in response to the abuse scandals of recent years. The policy requires each diocese to have a review board, with lay members in the majority, to review claims of sexual abuse and advise the bishop. The policy bans from the ministry any priest who has ever abused a minor, calls for background checks of all church representatives who have contact with children, and requires bishops to report allegations of abuse to police.

• Morning Star Boys Ranch officials conduct background checks on all employees and volunteers. The ranch has changed accommodations to individual rooms with locked doors and separate showers, and ranch officials say they emphasize to boys that they should report any molestation.

From staff reports