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3 Of Conlin's Accusers Hire Attorney, Not Planning To Sue

By David Madden

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - There is now a total of six adults who contend they were sexually abused as children decades ago by now-retired Daily News columnist Bill Conlin. Some of them have hired an attorney, but have no plans to sue.

That's not to say the others won't, but three women being represented by Slade McLaughlin, including Conlin's niece, just want to get on with their lives.

"They don't want notoriety," says McLaughlin. "They're not looking for a book deal. They're not looking to profit in any way, shape or form from this."

McLaughlin says they've told their stories once and now want to move on, "All of them harbor ill feelings for what has occurred to them because they've been in therapy. They've received counseling and they've actually all done remarkably well."

And it turns out Conlin tried to get a head start on the media firestorm on Monday evening, by reaching out to Deadspin.com editor A.J. Daulerio (see related story).

In a phone call and a series of e-mails, Conlin suggested this was part of a family feud, "A lot of it, from what I remember, was him saying that he's not Jerry Sandusky, that he was not in that category."

Daulerio says Conlin suggested this was a "family vendetta" and at one point said he was contemplating suicide.

"Got the impression that, I mean, he wasn't planning on coming back from Florida to face any civil suits."

At one point, Daulerio says Conlin suggested he might take his own life.

Conlin's attorney, George Bochetto, has not returned calls seeking comment.

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