A prominent Baltimore attorney has agreed to represent a married woman who had an alleged affair with a local Catholic priest.A lawsuit has not yet been filed, but lawyer Joanne Suder said she certainly expects a civil claim to go forward in the next several months after her staff completes its investigation into former Mount de Sales Academy Director of Admissions Charyl Breidenstein’s allegations.
Breidenstein says she had a yearlong affair with Rev. Timothy Fell, the school chaplain and a religious instructor at the school, and was unjustly fired after school administrators learned about the situation.
Fell was eventually removed from his position at the school but continues to serve as associate pastor at the nearby St. Agnes Parish.
“Charyl is my client, and we’re anticipating a case against Father Fell, the Archdiocese of Baltimore and the Mount de Sales school,” Suder said. “We haven’t decided what causes of action to file, but they are likely to include sexual abuse, wrongful termination, defamation, and intentional affliction of emotional distress.”
Suder is considered a national expert on sexual abuse cases and has appeared on ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX Networks and CNN. She’s also handled cases involving the Archdiocese in the past.
Archdiocese of Baltimore spokesman Sean Caine said he could not comment until a suit has been filed.
Fell, a former family friend of Charyl and her husband Mark Breidenstein, also counseled the couple. He has denied all charges of an affair.
The alleged affair became public following Mark Breidenstein’s subsequent divorce suit against his wife. It has caused heated controversy in the Catonsville Catholic community.
A second woman, Archdiocese officials have acknowledged, later came forward with similar allegations.
“I gave that school 150 percent and they were so quick to throw me away,” said Charyl Breidenstein, who worked for the school for five years.
“Why would I make something like that up? I’ve lost everything. I’ve offered to take lie detector test, but he (Father Fell) absolutely refuses. I want him to be accountable for this actions as well - he’s still celebrating Mass like nothing happened.”
Breidenstein was notified of her termination Sept. 15, while seeking treatment for severe depression at Sheppard Pratt hospital
Attorney James Gillece, who represents Mount de Sales, said Breidenstein’s termination was not related to her allegations of an affair.
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