Law Firm Urges Archdiocese Review Board to Consider Previous Deposition Testimony in Fr. David Ryan Investigation
CHICAGO – Following news that Rev. David F. Ryan of St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church in Lake Zurich has been placed on administrative leave amid new child abuse allegations, the law firm of Gould Grieco & Hensley is calling on the Archdiocese of Chicago’s review board and Cardinal Blase Cupich to thoroughly examine existing deposition testimony regarding Fr. Ryan’s conduct.
The firm previously deposed Fr. Ryan in connection with sexual abuse allegations against his Co-Director of Maryville Academy, Fr. John Smyth, and believes this testimony contains crucial information that should inform the current investigation and any decisions regarding his future in ministry. Gould Grieco & Hensley represent numerous survivors of sexual abuse related to Fr. Smyth and Maryville Academy.
“We have extensively questioned Fr. Ryan under oath regarding his conduct and interactions with minors,” said Mike Grieco a Founding Partner at Gould Grieco & Hensley. “We strongly urge Cardinal Cupich and the Review Board to carefully read and watch deposition testimony as they conduct their investigation into these new allegations. Fr. Ryan’s inconsistent testimony from prior statements he made should also be a focus of the Review Board. My clients and I are hoping that Cardinal Cupich and the Review Board do a thorough job investigating this round of allegations.”
The firm emphasized that protecting children must be the Church’s paramount concern and that all available evidence, including sworn testimony from previous proceedings, should be thoroughly reviewed before making determinations about Fr. Ryan’s fitness for ministry.
“The safety of children in our community depends on thorough and transparent investigations that consider all available evidence. We believe the deposition testimony we obtained provides important insights that the review board should examine as part of their deliberations.”
Gould Grieco & Hensley represents survivors of clergy abuse and is committed to holding institutions accountable for protecting children from harm
The Archdiocese has reported the new allegation to civilian authorities and offered victim assistance services to the accuser, in accordance with established policies.
About Gould Grieco & Hensley:
Gould Grieco & Hensley is a boutique national personal injury firm dedicated to advocating for victims of abuse and catastrophic injuries in high-stakes litigation. We pride ourselves on being Innovators of Law and Providers of Justice. Our attorneys have litigated and won cases nationwide, representing thousands of individuals, including hundreds of survivors of rape, sexual assault, and childhood sexual abuse in many of the highest profile abuse cases across the country. These cases include claims against institutions such as University of Michigan (Dr. Robert Anderson), Michigan State University (Dr. Larry Nasser), professional sports teams, Jeffrey Epstein, private and public schools, elite private boarding schools, orphanages, foster care programs, hospitals, mental health facilities, Fortune 500 companies, and numerous religious institutions and related entities. The firm is currently leading cases on behalf of hundreds of survivors of physician abuse across the country, who were sexually abused by a physician under the guise of being provided necessary medical care, including over 200 former patients alleged to have been sexually abused by OB/GYN Dr. Barry Brock (California), OB/GYN Dr. Scott Lee (California), emergency room physician Dr. Tyler Hurst (Montana), and rheumatologist / primary care physician Dr. Derrick Todd (Massachusetts). Recent successes include participating in global settlements valued at nearly $3 billion. Firm website: www.GGHLaw.com.
Media Contact:
Zoe Chipalla
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(815) 988-4027
zchipalla@gghlaw.com
mike@gghlaw.com