Active Buffalo Diocese priest accused of child sexual abuse, Trautman accused of cover-ups (6 p.m.)

Active Buffalo Diocese priest Fr.

Richard Reina has been accused of child sexual abuse, according to attorneys for clergy abuse victims.

ABOUT CONSPIRACY.ATTORNEY PAUL BARRAND FORMER PRIESTJIM FALUSZCZAK AREMAKING NEWALLEGATIONS AGAINSTAN ACTIVE DIOCESANPRIEST, FATHERRICHARD REINA.JAMESFALUSZCZAK/FORMERPRIEST AND ABUSESURVIVOR:IN A CERTAIN SETTINGWITHIN HOLY CROSSCHURCH, WE'REALLEGING THAT REINAHAD ACCESS TO THISCHILD AND PROCEEDEDTO SEXUALLY ASSAULTHIM.REINA IS A RETIREDDIOCESAN PRIESTLIVING INWILLIAMSVILLE...HESAYS MASS ON THEWEEKENDS AT CHRISTTHE KING PARISH INSNYDER.THE ABUSEALLEGEDLYOCCURRED WHEN THEUNNAMED VICTIM WAS15 YEARS OLD AT THISCHURCH -- HOLYCROSS -- ONBUFFALO'S WEST SIDE.BARR:ALL OF OUR CLIENTSARE VETTED VERYSERIOUSLY AND THISPARTICULAR CLIENT ISEMOTIONALLYDEVASTATED BY WHATHAPPENED TO HIM.IN A BRIEF PHONECALL, REINASTRONGLY DENIEDTHE ALLEGATIONS,TELLING THE I-TEAM, "IABSOLUTELY,CATEGORICALLY DENYTHIS ACCUSATION.WITHOUT ANYHESITATION."HE WENT ON TO SAY,"I'M ABOUT TOCELEBRATE 50 YEARSOF THE PRIESTHOOD.IT'S BEEN A GOOD 50YEARS.

I CAN'TBELIEVE THATSOMEBODY IS GOINGTO DESTROY ME."STANDUP:NEW DETAILS ALSOCAME TO LIGHT IN ASECOND CASE, WHEREA FORMER NO.

2OFFICIAL OF THEBUFFALO DIOCESE ISACCUSED OF USING AMARRIAGE ANNULMENTAS A TOOL TO SILENCEA VICTIM OF SEXUALABUSE.THE CASE INVOLVESALLEGED ABUSE BYNOW-DECEASEDPRIEST GERARDSMYCZYNSKI IN THEEARLY 1980S.SMYCZYNSKI WASALREADY ON THEDIOCESE'S LIST OFABUSERS...BUTATTORNEYS SAYDONALD TRAUTMAN,WHO WAS THEAUXILIARY BISHOP OFTHE BUFFALODIOCESE, COVEREDUP THE ABUSE OF ONEOF THEIRCLIENTS...WHICH LEDTO THE ABUSE OFANOTHER.BARR:BISHOP TRAUTMANNEVER CALLED THEPOLICE.

HE NEVERCALLED THE DISTRICTATTORNEY.

AS ARESULT, OUR CLIENTTHAT WE FILED THECASE FOR TODAY WASABUSED.BARR SAID TRAUTMAN,WHO DID NOTRESPOND TOMESSAGES SEEKINGCOMMENT, PAID ATLEAST A THOUSANDDOLLARS IN WHAT HECALLED "HUSHMONEY" TOSMYCZYNSKI'SALLEGED VICTIM, THENOFFERED TO SPEEDALONG HIS PARENTS'ANNULMENT...WHICHIN THE CATHOLICCHURCH, IS SIMILARTO A DIVORCE.FALUSZCZAKTHE AVERAGE TIME OFAN ANNULMENT, ISABOUT 18 MONTHS...ASMUCH AS TWO YEARS,AND THERE'S NOGUARANTEE.

THISWAS...I HAVE NEVERSEEN EVEN, EVEN THEEASIEST ANNULMENTSHANDLED THISQUICKLY.

IT'S JUSTBIZARRE.IN A STATEMENT,DIOCESANSPOKESMAN GREGTUCKER SAID THEDIOCESE STILL HADNOT SEEN THELAWSUIT, DESPITE ITBEING FILED PUBLICLYONLINE HOURS AGO.IT ALSO ENCOURAGEDTHE VICTIM TOFORMALLY MAKE ASEPARATE REPORT TOTHE DIOCESE, ANDSAID, "AS SOON ASTHE DIOCESERECEIVES THECOMPLAINT, AND THENAME OF THE PERSONMAKING THECOMPLAINT, IT WILLFOLLOW ESTABLISHEDPROTOCOLS WHICHINVOLVES ATHOROUGHINVESTIGATION ANDTAKE ALLAPPROPRIATEACTION."AS OF NOW, FR.

REINAHAS NOT BEENPLACED ONADMINISTRATIVELEAVE.LIVE IN THE STUDIO,CH