Norwich Diocese Settles Another Sex Abuse Case

The Diocese of Norwich has settled a lawsuit filed by Mary Jane Leverone, who claimed the late Rev. Thomas Shea repeatedly sexually assaulted her at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Gales Ferry, beginning when she was 10 years old. She is one of many women who alleged Shea kissed and fondled them as girls during his 37 years as a priest, many of which were spent in parishes in southeastern Connecticut, including New London, Norwich, Mystic, Groton, Gales Ferry, Montville and Plainfield, Leverone's attorney, James Hall, did not discuss the amount of the settlement. The Day reports that Leverone previously had offered to settle the suit for $1.2 million but the diocese's insurance would only pay $500,000; any amount above that would have come from the diocese directly.