WHEELING — A final dismissal order was filed in a lawsuit against former Catholic Bishop Michael J. Bransfield for alleged sexual molestation by a former employee of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston.
The dismissal order states that the plaintiff, J.E., and two of the defendants — the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston and Bransfield — represented to the court that all matters in controversy between the plaintiff and the defendants have been confidentially settled. The parties jointly moved to dismiss the case with prejudice, according to the order.
Ohio Circuit Judge David J. Sims wrote that seeing no objection, he ordered the lawsuit dismissed with prejudice.
J.E. filed the complaint back in March in Ohio Circuit Court against Bransfield, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston and up to 20 unidentified defendants.
According to the complaint, J.E. was a resident of St. Clairsville, Ohio, when the alleged incidents occurred. He now lives in Pocahontas County.
J.E. said he first came in contact with Bransfield when he attended the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Wheeling.
"Bransfield was a sexual predator with lustful disposition toward adolescent males," the 21-page complaint states. "After being placed in a position of trust by defendants, Bishop Bransfield sexually abused, molested, fondled and assaulted J.E. and other adolescent and 'adult' males by, through and during his employment as bishop with the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston."
The complaint says the other defendants knew of such accusations against Bransfield as early as 2007. Yet, it says they “took no action to appropriately investigate, counsel or sanction” Bransfield. In 2012, Bransfield was accused by two witnesses of associating with a priest who sexually abused minors and of being aware of the sexual abuse. The complaint says no discipline was taken against Bransfield.
The Diocese covered all of Bransfield’s living expenses, including food and drink and a personal chef.
The complaint alleged Bransfield was a binge drinker and would drink until he was intoxicated, at which point he would then "engage in grossly inappropriate behavior," which included making "sexually suggestive gestures, hugging, kissing, inappropriately touching and fondling seminarians."
In the complaint, J.E. claimed at one point while he was interim secretary for Bransfield, the bishop exposed himself to J.E. and pulled him against him and ran his hands down his chest and over his genitals, which traumatized him.
The complaint accuses the defendants of sexual harassment, sexual assault, negligent conduct, negligence, misfeasance, nonfeasance, carelessness, recklessness, vicarious liability, breach of non-delegable duty, negligent hiring and retention and supervision, civil conspiracy, fraudulent concealment and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Bransfield was bishop of the Diocese from 2005 to 2018.
Pope Francis asked for an investigation into Bransfield's alleged sexual harassment of adults and a report was released in March.
J.E. was represented by Robert B. Warner and Andrew D. Byrd of Warner Law Offices.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops was represented by David L. Wyant of Bailey & Wyant.
The Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston was represented by James C. Gardill and Edward M. George III of Phillips, Gardill, Kaiser & Altmeyer; and Christopher A. Brumley and Evan S. Aldridge of Flaherty Sensabaugh Bonasso.
Bransfield was represented by Charles F. Johns and Shawn A. Morgan of Steptoe & Johnson.
Ohio Circuit Court case number: 19-C-77
