SPOKANE — A former resident of a home for troubled boys contended that he was repeatedly abused by the facility’s director more than 30 years ago and that the man paid him money years later to keep it quiet.
Michael A. Clarke, 44, testified Monday in a Superior Court trial over alleged abuse at the Morning Star Boy’s Ranch on Spokane’s South Hill. This is the first of 19 separate lawsuits filed against Morning Star.
Before Clarke was permitted to appear in front of the jury, Judge Kathleen O’Connor heard his entire testimony and ruled that part of what he said was admissible in the case of Kenneth Putnam, a former Morning Star resident who claims to have been abused by former director the Rev. Joseph Weitensteiner a decade after Clarke was there.
Putnam contends ranch operators knew or should have known about pervasive and ongoing abuse and did nothing to stop it. The judge has allowed five former residents to offer testimony in support of Putnam’s case.
Morning Star attorney Jim King has opposed the testimony of all five, but particularly that of Clarke, an inmate serving time at Airway Heights Corrections Center on first-degree theft convictions.
Clarke contended he was sexually abused by Weitensteiner as many as 20 times on the ranch, during field trips, on the priest’s boat on Lake Coeur d’Alene and at Morning Star’s cabin on Newman Lake.
He described his acquaintance with Weitensteiner as “a sick relationship” in which he loved and respected the Catholic priest who sexually and physically abused him as a child.
“He was like a father to me and I was convinced whatever was happening to me was my own fault,” Clarke said Monday.
Later in life, Clarke contended that Weitensteiner gave him money, $50 or $100 at a time, on numerous occasions, and the priest officiated at his wedding.
In 2006, after allegations against Morning Star came to light, Clarke contended Weitensteiner gave him $2,000 “in hush money.”
A few days later, Clarke said Weitensteiner and attorney Matthew Daley came to Clarke’s home. Daley interviewed Clarke as a potential witness in upcoming litigation.
Clarke told Daley that he had not been abused or seen abuse while at the ranch. Clarke said Monday that he lied to Daley.
At the end of the interview, Clarke said, he was asked by Daley whether anyone had promised him anything for his testimony.
“I said, Other than the $2,000?” At which point the attorney looked at Weitensteiner and Weitensteiner shook Clarke off, Clarke recounted. “And I said, Nobody promised me anything.”
Daley, who appeared at Monday’s hearing, denied there was any discussion of money at the interview.
On cross-examination, Clarke acknowledged he had been convicted of six counts of first-degree theft and two federal counterfeiting charges in the past 10 years and that he was under court order to pay $150,000 in restitution to victims.
Clarke also has filed a claim against Morning Star for damages associated with his sexual abuse.
On Monday, O’Connor ruled part of Clarke’s testimony admissible. But jurors were not allowed to hear that Clarke said he witnessed abuse by Weitensteiner of other boys at the ranch and that he heard “on the grapevine” about still more abuses.
When Putnam’s attorney, Tim Kosnoff, touched on this subject during questioning of Clarke, King moved for a mistrial. O’Connor denied the motion.
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