Milwaukee archdiocese to release sex abuse files

MILWAUKEE — The Archdiocese of Milwaukee says that it will release about 3,000 pages of documents related to sexual abuse lawsuits that have been filed against it.

It says the documents include depositions given by New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who previously led the Milwaukee archdiocese, former Milwaukee Archbishop Rembert Weakland and retired Bishop Richard Sklba.

Victims’ advocates have accused church leaders of moving abusive priests around and covering up their crimes for decades.

The archdiocese had been fighting the release of the documents, and a hearing on the matter was scheduled for Thursday in U.S. bankruptcy court in Milwaukee.

The archdiocese filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in January 2011 to deal with about 500 sex abuse claims.

Lawyers representing those people had been seeking the documents’ public release.