APNewsBreak: Vermont church to settle 26 priest sex cases with $17 million payment

AP: Settlement in 26 Vermont priest abuse cases

MONTPELIER, Vt. — A lawyer for former altar boys suing Vermont’s Catholic church says the diocese has agreed to settle 26 outstanding priest sex abuse lawsuits for $17 million.

Attorney Jerome F. O’Neill says details of the settlement will be announced Thursday in Burlington.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington has been sued by dozens of former altar boys accusing it of negligent hiring. Many of the cases concerned defrocked Rev. Edward Paquette, who was the target of allegations before he transferred to Vermont in the mid-1970s.

Last month, a judge set a Sept. 20 trial date for the cases unless they could be settled out of court.