A jury found the Diocese of Rockville Centre, St. Raphael?s Church in East Meadow and Rev. Thomas Haggerty negligent Friday in a civil sex abuse lawsuit.

The jury awarded the two victims a combined $11.4 million in damages. The victims, who were teens at the time, said former youth minister Matthew Maiello repeatedly molested them, and that church officials knew and did nothing to stop the abuse.

Maiello pleaded guilty to third-degree rape and sodomy in 2003 and served more than two years in prison.

The jury found the diocese, the church and Haggerty were negligent in the hiring and retention of Maiello. However, the jury cleared the defendants of being negligent in the supervision of the minister.

The six-person jury deliberated for eight days before reaching its decision. The trial included graphic testimony by the female victim.

The defendants have been ordered to pay the female victim approximately $5.5 million in damages, and a second male victim approximately $5.9 million.

AP wire reports contributed to this story.

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