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Free CASE REVIEWS
1 800 686 9921
Father David A. Holley was ordained in 1958 for the Benedictines but was “dispensed” from the order in 1962 and became a diocesan priest in Worcester, Massachusetts. Holley sexually abused children in multiple states, including Massachusetts, New Mexico, Texas, and others. The Diocese of Worcester sent Holley to the Servants of the Paraclete in Jemez Springs, New Mexico, for treatment, yet abuse continued across multiple dioceses. He was convicted in 1993 of sexually abusing eight boys in Alamogordo, New Mexico, and received a sentence of 275 years in prison, dying in prison on November 25, 2008.
Holley was accused in numerous lawsuits spanning decades, with allegations of sexual abuse beginning as early as the 1950s in Pennsylvania. He was also named as a defendant in a lawsuit filed in 2020 in New Mexico, alleging abuse of a boy in the 1970s in Alamogordo. That suit named the Diocese of Worcester, Massachusetts as a defendant among others, reflecting Worcester’s role in Holley’s placement and transfers. In 2025, an additional lawsuit was filed alleging abuse of a young altar boy at Immaculate Conception Parish in Alamogordo between 1975 and 1976. His assignments in multiple dioceses and facilities gave him repeated access to vulnerable children across locations and years.
His sexual abuse has been formally acknowledged in the records of multiple dioceses and religious organizations, and civil litigation continues to pursue accountability for the harm inflicted on survivors.
With decades of dedicated advocacy, we have held abusers and institutions accountable, helping survivors secure justice and the resources to move forward.
For over two decades, we have focused solely on advocating for survivors, combining legal skill with compassion to guide them toward justice and healing.
We are honored to have guided thousands of survivors through the legal process, offering support, advocacy, and the resources they need to reclaim their lives.
Civil litigation may allow survivors of Father Holley to pursue acknowledgment, restitution, and institutional accountability. Massachusetts law may allow survivors to pursue claims against both individuals and the institutions that failed to protect them, including those that enabled or concealed Holley’s abuse. Whether a claim may be available depends on the specific facts and circumstances of each survivor’s experience. Civil claims may provide survivors with pathways to seek financial compensation for emotional, psychological, and physical harm.
By pursuing civil remedies, survivors may be able to validate their experiences, affirm the record, and hold institutions accountable even after Holley’s death. Legal action can encourage reform within religious organizations, promoting stronger supervision, clearer reporting protocols, and more robust protective measures for minors. Civil litigation reinforces the principle that abuse, regardless of when or where it occurred, deserves acknowledgment and redress, supporting healing and personal closure for survivors.
Every survivor deserves compassion and acknowledgment. This video explains how civil law empowers individuals harmed by clergy abuse to pursue accountability and closure. Justice extends beyond courtrooms; it allows survivors to reclaim their voice and aids them on their healing journey. Survivors across Massachusetts continue proving that truth carries strength and healing begins with being heard.
Our experienced and compassionate team of attorneys, investigators, paralegals, and support staff have extensive training in working with sexual abuse victims.
These cases are complex; however, our team are experts in these types of cases and will diligently ensure our clients are compensated for full and fair value. We always do our best to help our clients heal by giving them a voice
and helping them seek a measure of justice.
Massachusetts Disclaimer:Herman Law has a multistate practice representing victims of sexual abuse in civil cases. A Herman Law attorney is licensed to practice law in Massachusetts. Each case is different, and results in prior cases do not assure a similar outcome in future cases. If there is no recovery, no fees or expenses will be charged. Attorney Advertising by Jenny Rossman.
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