Winona County (trfnews.i234.me) – In a staggering verdict, an Olmsted County jury awarded $7.6 million to Doe 254, a 68-year-old Rochester man, who was sexually abused by a priest in the 1970s.
The abuser, Joseph Cashman, was a former priest and principal of Lourdes High School. The abuse began when the plaintiff was just 16 years old and lasted for three years.
The trial, part of the fallout from the Minnesota Child Victims Act, focused on determining damages after the Diocese of Winona-Rochester admitted negligence. Of the award, $7 million was for past damages, $500,000 for future distress, and $100,000 for medical expenses.
This verdict is part of a broader bankruptcy reorganization in which the Diocese has already paid over $22 million to survivors. Meanwhile, three more lawsuits have been filed in 2025, showing a long trail of justice sought by victims.
Attorney Jeff Anderson, who’s represented survivors for over four decades, called the verdict a “moment of great relief” and a warning shot to institutions that protect abusers.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.