20 years

Copyright 2002 The Sunday Oklahoman

THE SUNDAY OKLAHOMAN

June 30, 2002, Sunday CITY EDITION

SECTION: NEWS;

LENGTH: 392 words

HEADLINE: Attorney for priest denies accusations Accuser called hot line to report molestation

BYLINE: Staff and Wire Reports

DATELINE: ENID

BODY:

A man who claims he was molested by an Enid priest may file a lawsuit against the Roman Catholic Church and the man he claims molested him 20 years ago, the priest's attorney said. Father James Mickus was suspended from his duties this week after the man made the accusation. Mickus asked Stephen Jones of Enid to represent him because of the possibility of a lawsuit, Jones said.

"Father Mickus did not molest a young boy 20 years ago," Jones said. "He is not a sexual batterer, he is not a child molester and he is not a criminal."

Oklahoma City Archbishop Eusebius Beltran removed Mickus earlier this week from his post at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, where he had served nine years. He has been in the priesthood 30 years.

New policies developed during the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in response to a sex abuse scandal required Beltran to take the action.

Beltran met with St. Francis parishioners Wednesday to inform them of Mickus' removal.

Attorneys for the archdiocese have notified the Garfield County district attorney's office about the alleged incident, but Jones said he does not expect any criminal filing against Mickus. Jones said the man's attorney notified Mickus and the Oklahoma archdiocese Friday that he may file a lawsuit.

Mickus and his accuser have known each other for many years and had dinner together as recently as last week, Jones said. "This man has never complained to Father Mickus before," Jones said. "He is a man, 40 years old, and his father is a lawyer. Any idea that he's had amnesia or repressed memory or anything like that is absurd. This is about money."

Jones declined to identify Mickus' accuser, but said the man had visited Mickus in his home, attended his mother's funeral and currently takes care of Mickus' dogs.

"He (the accuser) has received personal and professional assistance from Father Mickus, and he is basically a Judas," Jones said.

The man called the archdiocese pastoral response telephone hot line earlier this month and claimed he was sexually abused by Mickus 20 years ago.

Jones said the man legally would have been an adult when he claimed the molestation took place.

"He's 40 now, and he claims the abuse happened 20 years ago," Jones said. "Obviously, even then he wouldn't be a minor."

GRAPHIC: Father James Mickus

LOAD-DATE: July 5, 2002