Friday,  September 7, 2012 • Vol. 13--No. 052 • 48 of 66 •  Other Editions

(Continued from page 47)

that the organizations engaged in criminal conduct, the justices said.
• Another law gives victims of childhood sexual abuse until they turn 19 to file such lawsuits, but none of the lawsuits was filed in state court until 2004, long after the youngest former student turned 19 in 1981, Justice Steven Zinter wrote for the court.
• "Therefore, none of the students commenced his or cause of action until more than twenty years after the time for filing suit had expired," Zinter wrote.
• The lawsuits also argued that the Catholic Diocese could be held liable because the abuse was committed in the scope of employment by priests, nuns and others at

the school. But the Supreme Court said the alleged sex abuse was outside the scope of employment and was not committed in pursuit of any diocese business.
• The students also contended the diocese should be liable because it exercised control over the school, its employees and the religious organizations that operated it, but the Supreme Court said there is no evidence that the diocese was controlling the school's operation or that the religious organizations were running the school for the diocese.
• The high court also rejected the students' argument that the diocese could be sued because it failed to protect students at the school.
• "The students identified no facts indicating that the Diocese -- as opposed to the priests, monks, nuns, entity defendants, and the school -- was acting as the custodian or parent of the students while they attended school," Zinter wrote for the court.

Oglala Sioux Tribe says BIA report is delayed

• PINE RIDGE, S.D. (AP) -- The Oglala Sioux Tribe in South Dakota says they are upset that the Bureau of Indian Affairs has failed to assess the tribe's unmet needs of the tribal courts and police systems.
• The tribe in a news release says the BIA's Office of Justice Services has failed to prepare a final copy of an unmet needs assessment. The tribe says the report is necessary to gauge the level of services needed within the reservation's justice system.
• James Toby Big Boy is the chairman for the tribe's law and order committee. He says that without the report, the tribe will have trouble negotiating funding to combat crime on the reservation.
• BIA spokeswoman Nedra Darling says the assessment is completed and under review.

(Continued on page 49)

© 2012 Groton Daily Independent • To send correspondence, click here.