We continue our coverage tonight on the historic verdict in the Del Barton School sex abuse trial.

After a jury late Wednesday awarded five million dollars to a Del Barton graduate known only as TM, who says he was sexually abused by a monk at the school 50 years ago.

It's the first time a civil sex abuse case against the Catholic Church has made it to trial in New Jersey and resulted in a win for the survivor.

The decision could open the door for dozens more cases tied to Del Barton and St.

Mary's Abbey.

Joining me now is former student Billy Crane, who along with his twin brother successfully sued Del Barton more than a decade ago, also over allegations of sexual abuse by two priests.

Billy, welcome back.

It's good to see you.

Let me just ask you first your reaction after hearing the verdict.

Yes, Del Barton has been hit with a very serious verdict for past abhorrent crimes of serious child abuse at Del Barton School.

So it was a day of justice and the jurors, hats off, made the right decision based on the overwhelming evidence that was presented into the court.

We should note your case was settled.

It did not go to trial.

Do you see this as a turning point, though, for other survivors of abuse from within the Catholic institution?

Yes, this is a high watermark with what TM was able to do.

And for the first time in church history, a victim was able to face his abuser, face the institution, Del Barton, and take his guilt and shame and transfer that onto his abuser and onto Del Barton's school.

So it was a very victorious, rewarding day for TM.

And we're very proud of him.

Yeah.

The jury, though, found that Del Barton negligently failed to supervise the monk in TM's case, but not that they acted with intent.

And I want to ask you about that and your view as to whether that's enough accountability in this case.

I think there's more documents to be revealed.

We have the punitive charges coming up and Tom's got a really strong team of lawyers and all the information is going to be aired out.

The school did respond.

In fact, you had sent it to me in the early morning hours.

I just want to read it to you and get more of your response to it.

They said in part, quote, "The alleged incident in question in this trial occurred 50 years ago when modern safeguards did not exist at secular or religious schools or other youth-serving institutions.

That fact cannot be an excuse for abuse of any kind, but it is a truth that must be reflected in the verdict.

What's your take on that, Billy?

Del Barton still remains in denial of what's taken place here, and they refuse to reckon simply with their past, like other institutions like Penn State.

They were able to clean house, air out everything to their community, to their donors.

Del Barton still remains entrenched and in denial.

And it was a very disturbing message that Father Tidd and Abbott Licardi sent to the community.

And it's more or less they communicated like they're the victims.

And here we have 40 more cases to come forward.

The last time we spoke, you said among your hopes for this case in particular was for the school to admit liability.

That did not happen.

What does that say for the justice process?

What was proved?

What wasn't proved?

I think the culture was exposed.

And I think without a shadow of a doubt, it's a culture that's harbored serial child rapists at Dalbarton.

And it's a monumental day.

And with 39 more cases coming forward, all that's going to be exposed.

And the truth is with the victims.

There's obviously a lot of talk about what coming forward like this can do to a person emotionally, mentally.

Part of the defense's case was that TM went on to live a robust life, was married for 18 years, did well professionally.

How did that lay with you as someone who has lived this and who has told me previously on this newscast that it disrupted your life and in some parts you said ruined your life?

It does and as survivors we're able to put different masks on and hide the reality of what took place to us and we all cope in different ways.

I'm an avid cyclist and other people get involved in work and we try to suppress the abuse that had taken place to us.

And what Del Barton did in their cross-examination, all they tried to do was re-traumatize Tom and re-victimize him in the court and shame on them for doing that.

They pointed out, though, that TM met with Father Lot after graduation, had several visits with him, had made no mention of it.

Can you speak to that a little bit in terms of why that might happen, why a relationship may continue in that way?

Yes, I can speak from my own experience as well as other survivors.

And I was in touch with my abusers for quite a few years after joining the Navy.

And they're like a father figure to us.

So there's a bond there.

And we live in denial that they abused their power and perpetrated crimes against us.

So I'm not surprised at all with victims being in touch with their abusers, because we really haven't felt the full extent of the abuse until later on in life, where its ugly head reveres in relationships.

It's very tough.

Have you spoken with TM?

What do you think he's feeling today?

I think that once again, it's a double edged sword.

I think he's relieved that it's over.

And like I said, all that shame and guilt that he's been carrying around for 40 years has now been transferred on to Richard Lott and Del Barton School.

And so he's walking a little bit taller.

I think he's going to be a much stronger person through all this, and he's going to be in a situation to advocate for other victims moving forward through the judicial system.

LISA DESJARDINS: Yes, of which there are more cases to come.

And, as you noted, the trial for the punitive damages, that begins next week.

Billy Crane, thank you so much again for your insight and for your time.

BILLY CRANE, Author, "The Punitive Damages of the 1990s": Brianna, thank you.

I appreciate it.

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