Attorney claims tentative $10 million settlement

BOSTON -- Alleged sexual abuse victims of defrocked priest John Geoghan have tentatively agreed to a $10 million settlement from the Boston Archdiocese to drop their lawsuits, their attorney said Wednesday.

"It's time to move on and try to heal as best they can, if at all," said the plaintiffs' attorney, Mitchell Garabedian.

The money will be divided among 86 plaintiffs, with the bulk of the settlement -- $9.3 million -- going to those who say they were molested by Geoghan.

Another 20 people who say Geoghan exposed himself to them will split $540,000. Sixteen parents of children who say they were abused by Geoghan will divide $160,000.

Cardinal Bernard Law's attorney said two weeks ago that the $10 million offer had been tentatively accepted -- a claim Garabedian denied then.