Anger and frustration continue to explode one day after new emails appear to show how the New Orleans Saints helped with damage control in the clergy sex abuse crisis. WDSU Investigates went through pages of records we uncovered. According to the emails, Greg Bensel with the New Orleans Saints emailed Gayle Benson about a news article involving George Brignac, a deacon who was set to face trial for child rape charges. An email signed by Benson reads, "Archbishop is very upset, he told me last week Why is that such a hard decision for Aymond it was a difficult decision.
The Saints seem to be focused on helping him manage that difficult decision. That year, the diocese publicly released the names of credibly accused clergy members linked to sex abuse.
An email shows Saints President Dennis Lauscha wrote to Bensel in , "Had a cc w Leon Cannizzaro last night that allowed us to take certain people off the list.
Last week, Leon Cannizzaro, the district attorney at the time, denied any role in shaping the credibly accused clergy list, echoing statements he made in The list was given to the District Attorney the morning it was released publicly and was shared with a representative of the Saints assisting with media relations that morning as well.
Again, the storytelling and assumptions being drawn are truly surprising and inaccurate. An email from shows a plan to write a public letter from Benson. It doesn't sound like Mrs. Too full of stats, etc. I don't want her to appear to be a puppet for the Archdiocese because we have way too many constituents from all walks of life.
