4 Edina Brothers Join Minn. Priest Sex-Abuse Suit

ST. PAUL (WCCO) -- Four more men allege a Minnesota priest who died 25 years ago sexually abused them as boys.

The four Edina men on Wednesday joined a lawsuit filed against the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis in March. They allege the Rev. Thomas Stitts molested them when they were children in the parish at Our Lady of Grace church in Edina.

The incidents allegedly happened in 1970. The lawsuit alleges the archdiocese had known or should have known of abuse allegations against Stitts before assigning him to the two parishes.

Stitts died of cancer at age 50 in 1985.

The current lawsuit is the fourth complaint concerning Stitts. Four lawsuits seek damages from the Archdiocese for a total of 11 victims.