East Meadow church abuse suit in jury's hands

Tuesday marked day two of deliberations in a $150 million lawsuit against an East Meadow Catholic parish and the Diocese of Rockville Centre. Former youth minister Matthew Maiello admitted raping and

News 12 Staff

May 8, 2007, 9:56 PM

Updated 6,620 days ago

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Tuesday marked day two of deliberations in a $150 million lawsuit against an East Meadow Catholic parish and the Diocese of Rockville Centre.
Former youth minister Matthew Maiello admitted raping and sodomizing four teenagers back in 2003 while working at St. Raphael's Church in East Meadow. He served more than two years in prison.
Two of his victims are suing, claiming the church knew what Maiello was doing to them but did nothing to stop it. The plaintiffs, now in their early 20s, are asking the jury to find the pastor of St. Raphael's, the parish and the diocese guilty of negligence in the hiring and supervision of Maiello.
A lawyer for the defense insisted in closing arguments that the church had no way of knowing the abuse took place and that Maiello alone is responsible for the sex abuse.
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