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“One of the things the civil process offered that criminal didn’t was the ability to put him in the frying pan of examination,” said Talach. “He had to answer questions in the lawsuit, he doesn’t have a right of silence. This is a huge difference between criminal and civil, the bad guy has to sit in the box and answer questions. That isn’t going to happen now.”

One of the men involved in the civil suits, who said he was abused around age 13 at St. Paul, sued because he feels the criminal justice system failed the victims.

“I don’t a want a dime, I don’t want to think I was just a high-paid whore and this is going to make it OK,” said the 55-year-old man. “That’s not what this is about. I don’t need any more money. That’s not what I need. I need to know the court system is working for the civilians.”

The 52-year-old victim from Maidstone, who said his alleged abuse occurred in 1978 when he was 14, also feels the justice system failed him.

“Every court delay that the lawyer put forward, it pretty much guarantees a six-month delay because of the court system,” he said. “I was told that most criminal trials involving a history of sexual abuse last about three years. This one dragged out for five. That is where much of my frustration lies. Time was on their side, not our side.”

Adding insult to injury for some victims is they want to tell their stories now that Bastien is dead, but they are still barred by the courts from revealing their identities.

“I’ve waited 40 years to tell this story and to have the courts shut me down again is a miscarriage of justice,” said the victim from St. Paul.

“Every time I tried to bring this to the front I was always hushed. I finally bring it to the pinnacle which is the courts, and now the courts decided they’re going to quiet me.”

twilhelm@postmedia.com