Diocese of Albany not found liable in the St. Clare's pensioners case; five defendants, however, found liable

After just one day of deliberations, jury states pensioners are owed $54.2 million

After only one day of deliberations, the St. Clare’s jury reached a verdict in the case of St. Clare’s pensioners.

The jury found that the Diocese of Albany as a whole was not responsible for the functioning of the St. Clare’s pension plan and not required to pay the former St. Clare’s workers. However, Bishop Emeritus Edward B. Scharfenberger, the late Bishop Howard J. Hubbard, the late Father David LeFort and others were all partially found at fault. 

In the reading of the jury’s found of percentage of fault, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany was found to be zero percent responsible, former diocesan employee and St. Clare’s  president Joseph Pofit was found 25 percent at fault, St. Clare’s Corporation, former St. Clare’s Hospital President Robert Perry and Bishop Howard J. Hubbard were all found 20 percent at fault, while Bishop Scharfenberger was found 10 percent at fault, and Father LeFort was found 5 percent at fault. 

A jury unanimously agreed that pensioners of St. Clare’s hospital are owed $54.2 million to make them whole.

In a statement released by the Albany Diocese after the ruling on Friday night, said, “As grateful as we are for the jury’s informed decision, we are still very much aware of the hurt felt by the St. Clare’s pensioners who cared for the sick and the poor throughout the long history of St. Clare’s hospital. This does not mean that we will turn our backs to the pensioners for as Bishop O’Connell has noted, they are a part of our flock; they are still in need of healing.”