BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Monsignor Craig Harrison is suing The Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno and the Diocese spokeswoman for defamation stemming from statements made against Harrison in a 2019 article in KQED.
According to a release from Harrison's attorney, Kyle Humphrey, the lawsuit was filed over defamatory statements made by the Diocese spokeswoman Teresa Dominguez regarding sexual misconduct allegations.
In the article, Dominguez is quoted from an email saying she believed the allegations.
The article state she visited one of the alleged victims and wrote, “I personally expressed my concern for him; told him that I believe him, and apologized for the pain this matter has caused him. I told him that I will support him and be an advocate for him in any way that I can."
The lawsuit said that the statements made in the article were made with "false, defamatory, and reckless disregard and serious doubts of the truth of the statements."
This lawsuit comes only days after the Fresno County District Attorney's Office announced it will not be filing sexual assault charges against Harrison because the statute of limitations expired. The DA's office said they also found the allegations to be credible.
- To read the full lawsuit, see here:
