PUEBLO, Colo.—A religious order and the Pueblo Roman Catholic Diocese will learn the names of men alleging abuse by a former teacher at a parochial school, a judge has ruled.
Twenty-four men have sued the diocese and Marianist order over claims that they were abused by former Marianist Brother and teacher William Mueller when they attended Roncalli High School. The school closed in 1971. Most of the plaintiffs identified themselves only by their initials or as John Doe.
District Judge Victor Reyes ruled Wednesday that the names of the plaintiffs must be provided to the defendants, but they will not be released publicly.
The lawsuits allege Mueller would knock out boys with ether and in many instances sexually molest them.
Sixteen other accusers in Missouri and Texas claim in either police reports or lawsuits that Mueller also molested them.
Mueller has denied sexual misconduct.
The Marianists recently reached a $160,000 settlement with a St. Louis man who accused Mueller of sexually abusing him when he was a high school student during the 1980s.
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Information from: The Pueblo Chieftain,
