James G. Graham

Ordained: 1966
Diocese: Diocese of Pittsburgh

From Report I of the 40th Statewide Investigating Grand Jury for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania:

On July 24, 2012 the Diocesan Review Board heard and reviewed testimony pertaining to the following allegations of abuse by Father James G. Graham:

1. A long-time female partner of a male victim verified a letter that he wrote prior to his drug overdose death wherein he detailed his abuse at the hands of Graham which started when he was 9 years old. The abuse lasted two or three yeaars. The female partner became aware of the abuse after the birth of her daughter when the victim refused to allow Graham to baptize her.  The victim died in 2012.

2. The sister of a victim testified that when her brother was placed on a liver transplant list, she had several conversations with him about Graham. He told her about the intimacy and sex he had with Graham when he was 15- years-old. The victim died in 2002.

3. This victim did not appear before the Review Board as assigned; instead, his interview by the Clergy Office was accepted as his testimony. He stated that Graham once wrote him a love letter. On April 30, 2012, the victim had a telephone conversation with the Diocesan Assistance Coordinator. He advised that on two occasions while he was playing pool, Graham came up behind him, lowered his pants and inserted his penis into the victim’s anus. The victim was 16-years-old at the time. He advised that shortly thereafter he began using drugs and alcohol.

All three allegations were deemed to be credible. Graham’s testimony before the Review Board was deemed not to be credible. The Review Board believed that Graham’s mental capacity was diminished due to his alcoholism. It was recommended to Bishop Zubik that Graham was no longer suitable for public ministry. This recommendation was accepted and Zubik perrmanently removed Graham as a priest.

The Diocese forwarded information regarding all three allegations to the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office.

Additional information regarding the widespread sexual abuse of children within the Catholic Dioceses of Pennsylvania and the systemic cover up by senior church officials is compiled in the Pennsylvania Diocese Victim’s Report published by the Pennsylvania Attorney General following a two-year grand jury investigation.  A complete copy of the Report is available on the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s website.