Oakland Diocese Hit with $16M Verdict in Abuse Case

0:00A jury in Alameda County just slammed the Roman Catholic diocese of Oakland with a $16 million verdict. It goes to a 61-year-old father of four, a former Union City altar boy who says priests Stephen Kiesel molested him twice back in 19, 75 during church sleepovers. This case is one of six bellweather trials that finally pushed forward after the diocese's file for bankruptcy protection in 2023, stalling things for years. The survivor, listed as John Doe, opened up in court about the trauma lifelong post-traumatic stress he buried deep plus thousand spent on therapy. His lawyer called the win a clear signal for the diocese to step up their game. Now attorneys are pushing this as leverage for better deals in around 350 other abuse claims sitting in limbo. With ripple effects likely hitting more survivors, eyes stay glued on how the church responds next. This has been California News Today, powered by AI, I'm Corey with the story.