Church Apology, Therapy Sought in Molestation Case

After exhausting all legal avenues without success, alleged victims of child sexual abuse by a Roman Catholic priest are calling on Cardinal Roger M. Mahony and the Los Angeles Archdiocese to apologize for the crimes and pay for therapy.

Last month, the state Supreme Court refused to hear their consolidated civil case brought by nine alleged victims against the late Father Ted Llanos and the archdiocese because the statute of limitations had expired. Earlier, the criminal case against Llanos, who killed himself in 1997, was dismissed by the Long Beach Municipal Court for the same reason. The Los Angeles Superior Court and an appellate court also threw out the case.

The former altar boys alleged that at least 26 young men were sexually abused by Llanos over a 20-year period beginning in 1973. They also accused the church of covering up the abuse.

Four of the men, now in their 30s, said Monday that they have been victimized twice.

“I feel as if I’ve been raped again, this time by the California law and the California courts, who are saying to me and the other victims of this case . . . that the church has more rights than the victims,” said Jim Falls, 36, who accused Llanos of sexually abusing him starting at age 15.

John McNicholas, the archdiocese’s attorney, said the Catholic Church never covered up Llanos’ alleged abuse. After the archdiocese first learned of the allegations in 1994, Llanos--who served at parishes in Long Beach, Covina, Santa Ana and Los Angeles--was removed from ministry and never returned, the attorney said.

Mahony met with the victims and their families and began paying for their therapy, he said. The church stopped paying for therapy, however, once the victims filed a lawsuit.

Father Gregory Coiro, an archdiocese spokesman, said the church has no obligations to the victims.

“If an individual who represents the church has done something wrong, it doesn’t mean it’s the church’s responsibility,” he said.