Savannah Georgia man continues to litigate sex assault case against Catholic priest
Henry Bachmann of Port Wentworth won a $1.2 million verdict in 1999 against the Archdiocese of St. Louis for failing to supervise a priest who sexually assaulted him. An appellate court overturned that verdict a year later determining that the statute of limitations had expired. Bachmann’s attorney has appealed that decision.
The Savannah Morning News has the story.
Bachmann has battled with litigation against the church since 1994. He claims that in 1964 he was sexually assaulted by Rev. James Gummersbach at a St. Louis grade school. He says that he repressed the memory of the assaults until 1992, but that the abuse left a lasting and negative on his life. Since the abuse, Bachmann has dropped out of school, battled alcoholism, was diagnosed with predatory sexual disorders, spent time in jail and mental hospitals, and has attempted to take his own life. Recently, Bachmann has filed for bankruptcy and lost his job with the Georgia Ports Authority due to problems with authority.
The priest accused of the abuse sent Bachmann a letter in 1999 apologizing for his actions along with $25,000. However, Bachman says that he cannot forgive and he cannot forget. His attorney has appealed the appellate court’s decision on the grounds that it made an error when it calculated when the statute of limitations began to run. For now, it seems as though this 15 year legal saga for Bachmann will continue.
Proving sexual assault cases can be difficult, especially when the allegations involve incidents that occurred many years ago. Our firm, however, has the experience and skill to help sex crime victims recover substantial damages for the abuse they suffered at the hands of people they trusted. We have several cases like this pending now.
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