Lawyer Who Exposed Church Abuse Dies at 78

Ray Mouton, a Louisiana attorney instrumental in revealing systemic sexual abuse within the Catholic Church, passed away at 78 in suburban New Orleans. His path to becoming a key figure in exposing the crisis was marked by professional paradox.

In the 1980s, Mouton was hired by the diocese of Lafayette to defend a priest accused of raping children. While negotiating a plea deal, he uncovered evidence that the same diocese was protecting other abusive priests, a realization that deeply affected him.

This discovery transformed Mouton into a pivotal source for investigative journalists, notably aiding in the foundational reporting that exposed the broader scandal. His insights were crucial for subsequent investigations and media coverage of the crisis.

Mouton collaborated with others to issue an internal warning to church leadership in 1985, detailing the potential financial and moral consequences of continued secrecy. Despite this, church leaders reportedly failed to act, leaving Mouton with a profound sense of disillusionment.

He later expressed a complete loss of faith in the Catholic Church due to his experiences. For the last two decades of his life, Mouton lived in France, where he wrote a fictionalized account of his efforts to expose institutional abuse.

He continued to follow the clergy abuse crisis from afar, a crisis that has resulted in billions of dollars in settlements for victim survivors. His advocacy also quietly supported efforts in Louisiana to remove lawsuit filing deadlines, increasing potential settlements for survivors.

Mouton's son noted that his father died upset that these challenges persisted 40 years later. He is remembered as a crusader who stood up for the voiceless.