Lawyer to Post List of Accused Priests

[Bossy Monkey]

Oct 31, 6:55 PM EST

Lawyer to Post List of Accused Priests

DALLAS (AP) -- A lawyer has compiled a list of 2,600 Roman Catholic priests nationwide who have been accused of sexual misconduct against children and plans to post it online by early next year.

Sylvia Demarest, a Dallas lawyer, and her staff spent 11 years on the list, which a victims' rights advocate says may encourage those who were abused to come forward.

"This is just a huge public service," said David Clohessy, executive director of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. "I'm thrilled it will be in good hands and will be accessible, and won't sit idly on a shelf."

He said those with questions about backgrounds of individual priests can use the list for research.

(more)
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CHURCH_ABUSE_DATABASE?SITE=SCCOL&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Don't know how I feel about this. On the one hand, they're talking about the accused, not the convicted. On the other hand, anything that will help catch the guilty ones I have trouble feeling bad about.

[MichiganVote]

1. Oh yeah, when was the last time you accused a priest?

Get a grip. 11 years working on a project of this magnitude and you're worried about a few accusations that may, sress may, be bogus?

The reason they haven't gone through the justice system is the fault of the church, not the victims. Victims will clean up this mess, and the names are important as many, many, victims will connect the dots.

[barb162]

2. I generally agree except that Cardinal Bernadin in Chicago was

accused by ONE guy and no one else evr came forward against him. This guy then retracted his accusation. He wanted money or something; I just can't remember. Bernadin would never have hurt a flea.

[Kathryn7]

3. Same thing happened to Cardinal Mahoney. Woman finally

admitted she just needed the money.

[MichiganVote]

5. Mahoney has other items that would interest Catholics if they

took off the rose colored glasses. Very interesting connections with the Bush Admin.

[MichiganVote]

4. Actually, no, the guy against bernandin did not want $$$

He retracted and in some quarters it's said he did so because he could not handle the media glare and other groups said he was a faker.

One guy. One town.

You wouldn't know whether most of these perp's were flea lovers or not. They are supposed to look like angels.

[barb162]

8. I think many of these child abuser priests should be strung up.

And also the higher ups who protected them along the way and shuffled them from parish to parish. The Church hierarchy was just plain wrong! They should have gotten rid of these serial abuser guys and they should have changed the way they operated but they just covered up. Sick bastards. But then I look at Cardinal Bernadin... the guy was about as close to a saint as a person could be. I would still worry about a person being accused who was not doing this, like Bernadin.

By the way I have not been a Catholic for about 300 years and the last thing I would do is defend the Catholics. I don't like the way the church is run and this is another example of the things I don't like; I remember reading in the WSJ many years before the story really broke that the church was sending abuser priests to the SW, where they kept up their abuser behavior. That diocese they were sent to had huge numbers of child molestation cases. They knew about it all the time, for many years. Despicable conduct by the church hierarchy.

[lastliberalintexas]

7. Actually, it does bother me

Priest or not, I have a problem with the posting of this kind of information. They are merely accused, and we do still have the presumption of innocence in this country. At least until the RW completely obliterates it- along with Miranda and the 4th, 5th and 6th amendments.

I'm sorry that you think that the fact that they have worked on thi for 11 years should carry any weight. Law enforcement often works on certain types of crimes for years, so do we just take their word for it that the suspect is guilty? The mere fact that someone has been accused, arrested, and/or charged does not necessarily mean that they are guilty.

Having said that, I agree with you about the Church protecting the accused. Let them stand trial and be found guilty or not. Priestly robes (or a pulpit of any kind) should not be a shield from prosecution.

[schultzee]

9. Hey, the church is trying to influence the election. Post away. They

are hypocrits. Its fine for * to cause the deaths of 100,000 civilians but they want people to vote for him because he is anti-abortion. They want the voucher money. They are hypocrits just like the Southern Baptists who support *

[leQ]

14. HERE HERE

we can not be hypocrites here. making accusations is one thing.
accusing one of child molestation is quite another. there's a line here.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

6. This is just plain WRONG

Whatever happened to "innocent until proven guilty"?

This kind of zealotry, of unbridled political correctness, of sanctimony gone mad, is reminiscent of Al Qaeda and the Taliban.

Shameful. This is shameful. I've been a lawyer for almost thirty years, and I know grandstanding and manipulation when I see it. Shameful.

[goforit]

10. Tell me when will the Catholic church EVER prosecute their own? never

[Bridget Burke]

19. It's been several centuries since the Church had its own dungeons.

It's not the Church's place to "prosecute" anybody. That doesn't excuse wrong actions by some Church officials--but why was it left to them? For some time now, filing charges with secular authorities has been the way to deal with crime.

Child molestation is against the law. Go to the police & file charges. Embarrassing questions may be asked--but that's the only way to get evidence & convictions that will actually get molesters off the street. It's also the only way that false accusers might be caught. However, this route might not lead to financial payoff for the alleged victims.

[DemBones DemBones]

12. Glad to have a lawyer agree with me! Welcome

to DU! :hi:

[NashVegas]

18. Grandstanding and Manipulation

The church is currently portraying itself as an organization that's cleaning its house.

Speaking from my own experience, unless you're coming up a diocese's ass with a lawyer, nothing could be further from the truth.

[lil-petunia]

22. Ha, cleaning house? Sending the worst offenders out of country?

Transfering bad guys to unsuspecting parishes across the country, without any notice or warning? Attacking families that dare complain? Promoting the worst of the bishops and cardinals to nice offices in Rome? (the irony of Law not following it has always amused me)

I repeat, HA!

In every civil and criminal case, the name of the offending party is made part of the public record. Many such lists are now computer searchable. Ergo, there is aboslutely NOTHING wrong with creating a list of those accused. The only ones complaining are:

1) the wrongdoers themselves

2) The church because their slime molds are being made public yet again.

3) those still wearing blinders about this global child abuse problem caused, and acitvely hidden by an organization proclaiming that it is above the law.

[MichiganVote]

33. You wouldn't feel that way if it were one of yours abused

Believe it.

[DemBones DemBones]

11. It's wrong because a false accusation can ruin someone's life.

Not all priests are child molesters. Not all priests are telling their parishioners who to vote for, either.

I'm all for imprisoning child molesters, whatever their occupation. I'm all for punishing clergy of any religion who try to influence an election. Call the police on the former and the IRS on the latter.

But people have been known to lie to get revenge against someone, or to get money, or just for shits and giggles. Kids have lied about teachers, priests, family members, etc., sometimes believing they were telling the truth but led in their accusations by what adults said to them, sometimes knowing it was a lie but getting stuck in repeating the lie; sometimes lying deliberately.

Maybe all the priests on this list really are molesters. Who knows? But making such a list public will set a precedent for making future lists of people accused of a crime public, too.

They want to publicize a list of men accused. Not convicted. Not even indicted. Just accused.

This is the place where someone says "You don't have anything to worry about if you're not guilty." You believe that's true?

[bvar22]

13. and if bush* gets elected,

it will ruin the lives of hundreds of thousands of innocents.

The Catholic Church permitted their American branch to actively support bush*.
Publish the list, AND remove their tax exemption!

[George_S]

16. Sylvia Demarest is involved in some interesting lawsuits.

The mother of all class-action lawsuits

By BRIAN KIERAN
CANOE Columnist

VICTORIA -- Aboriginal leaders and lawyers in B.C. have established a toll for the sexual, physical and emotional crimes of former misguided -- sometimes twisted -- generations.

It is $1 billion.

http://www.canoe.ca/CNEWSPoliticsColumns/dec17_kieran.html

and...

“I would have to say, I am not popular with establishment people. I am involved with cases that go against the status quo. Since I assume that there is a status quo on reservations like anywhere else, I doubt that I am popular with it either,” he said in response to charges that he recently read in a Todd County newspaper that claim that the legal team who is soliciting clients who have been abused in boarding schools are greedy lawyers out to ruin the good reputations of nuns and priests who have given their lives in service to Indian people and the church over the years.

Frischer also said that he is doing his work in a responsible manner. He recognizes that many of the claimants may be in need of support as they go through the process of remembering the abuse, naming the abuse, naming the abusers and attempting to heal.

http://www.dlncoalition.org/dln_issues/bschool1.htm

"go through the process of remembering the abuse?" As in recovering debunked repressed memories? Any one who needs a buck can step forward and make claims. What happened to the statute of limitations? What about the constitution? Between what the liberals and conservatives want to chip away, there won't be much left. If the Native Americans deserve something, these lawyers sure don't deserve 1/3 of it.

[DemBones DemBones]

17. It's just false to claim that the Catholic Church promoted Bush*.

Some individual Catholics, including some priests and some bishops, promoted Bush* as being "pro-life" and more in line with Catholic teaching, but many other Catholics disagreed. Punish any clergy who broke the law, but not the entire Church.

I'm guessing that not many broke the law, anyway. It is always possible to choose one's words carefully and I'd bet most did, even if they strongly hinted that voting GOP was the moral choice. They may have violated the spirit of the law but stayed within the letter of the law.

[bvar22]

21. The Catholic could have prevented this!

Rome could have issued strict orders preventing ANY Catholic Clergy from using the Catholic Church as an endorsement of either candidate! The Catholic hierarchy knows of Full Page Ads in US newspapers and of the movement by conservative and evangelical Catholics to use the church to promote bush* and has remained silent on the issue.
Their silence is damning!

I am Catholic, and believe that the Catholic Church got alot of it right, but I am outraged that some are hijacking my native religion to promote the spread of death and intolerance!


"I will spread death and destruction to the four corners of the earth..."---GWBush*

[realcountrymusic]

15. just post one name

pope john paul II, leader of a church (which i distinguish from a religion) that has systematically enabled molesters for decades if not centuries.

this church has no moral standing to intervene in politics. i wish the Dems would stop pandering to it even if Kerry is Catholic. they appear not to want him. he should return the favor.

and after the revolution, i want ALL CHURCHES THAT PARTICIPATE IN POLITICS TAXED. PERIOD.

rcm

[lil-petunia]

20. A list of 2600?

Forget about privacy issues.

This is no longer the idea that the church had some bad apples, this is something else entirely.

2,600 individuals constitutes its own criminal organization, not a religious order.

Must be something to do with Italy. First, the cosa nostra, now the catholic church, each of them ordering crimes, harboring criminals, protecting the wrongdoers, and attacking the victims.

2600? that is sick. I say publish. Loud, in bold, with highlights.

[MsAnthropy]

23. Agreed, lil-petunia!

It just boggles my mind that so many of them can have rationalized that this kind of behavior is OK. How does an idea like that get started and spread to thousands of individuals? There were 80, I think, in the city of Boston alone! Are they taught in seminary that sexual behavior with children is justified in spite of their vow of chastity? Ish, it makes me sick! If the Church won't act, means should be taken to protect ourselves. The St. Paul Police Department publishes the pictures of people arrested (NOT convicted) of prostitution in order to shame them into not coming to St. Paul, so their privacy rights have pretty much been forfeited, just like the priests' rights should be. http://www.ci.stpaul.mn.us/depts/police/prostitution_photos_current.html

[davhill]

30. We are talking about accusations

The word of million dollar settlements from the Church is getting out and there are are bound to be a bunch of greedy individuals who are looking to hit the lotto with a false accusation against the local priest hoping that it will be settled out of court. The same thing happened with day care operators a couple years ago.

[MsAnthropy]

31. The Church has allowed it to spiral out of control

so they deserve everything they'll have to deal with.

[MichiganVote]

34. On average it takes 2-5 years to settle these cases

Therapy can run as much as $50,000 and the costs to a person's personal life is astronomical. Easier money is found at any casino, anytime.

Moreoever, the majority of the cases brought have not resulted in a settlement.

[Bridget Burke]

24. Next up: Accused adulterers. Suspected pot smokers.

Charges, complaints, rumors. Just add the names to a database & publish them all.

What about innocent until proven guilty? And many of these have apparently not been actually charged with anything. So many of the alleged victims are too sensitive to actually talk to the cops. But they'll be in line for a payoff.

[Kathryn7]

25. Why stop with priests, how about accused teachers, doctors,

bus drivers, dentists, scout leaders...

[lil-petunia]

26. most smaller local papers do publish them as well. for all sorts of

crimes or allegations.

Because ours is an open court system, with the right to see and hear your accuser, all names are in the public. Public records are just that. And for good reason.

No, the church hides documents, hides the accused and hides behind legal manueverings identical to those used by the most corrupt corporations and Mafia dons. Not surprising, since in Chicago and other big cities, they use the same lawyers.

It also hides behind its "self-governing" doctrine. Unfortunately, it never truly punishes any criminal on its rolls.

[shrike]

27. Wrong. I was a police reporter for years and I did not publish accusations

I published charges. If the prosecutor's office charges a priest or anyone else, then that's public record. There are plenty of people who are "accused" of things. If there is insufficient evidence to charge an individual, then his or her name is not released to the public, which is the way it should be.

And no, I do not like this list one bit.

[Bridget Burke]

28. The Church is no longer in the business of punishing criminals.

All the dungeons have been closed--turned into wine cellars or museums. The ecclesiastical courts only have power over such things as annulment of marriage. Alas, the Inquisition is only a shadow of its former self.

In today's world, crimes must be reported to the secular authorities. That is the only way for criminals to be punished; it is also a way to protect against false accusations. It's unfortunate that some parents were content to complain to the bishops & leave the civil authorities out of the loop. They trusted too much. But the fact that some parents accepted hush money doesn't really help their cause. Do they want to come out now, make charges, name names & answer hard questions? Or are they hoping for larger settlements?

[lil-petunia]

29. many issues, many unanswerable questions

But if I may be so bold, there is just a hint of apple and orange mixture going on here.

1) Punishment

2) Prevention

3) Restitution


Punishment

These are secular crimes, the punishment should not be left to some self-appointed tsar-like old men in Rome. First, I don't trust them. Second, I don't trust them to police themselves, especially after some of the bank frauds that they approved, the world wide nature of child abuse and many, many other criminal or quasi-criminal acts sanctioned or approved by the Church.

Prevention

Public discussion of the identical crimes 25 years ago (1979-1983, the last time this tiger was truly alive) did nothing to prevent the next 25 yrs of abuse. The only way to prevent future crimes is to put these names out there. If it works with serial child abusers, there is no reason why wearing a collar should prevent identical treatment. (Now, the issue of whether such publicity is warranted, well, that is another issue) Of course, the issue of accused, alleged, blackmailed or actual sexual abuse is an important issue. It deserves more discussion and study.

But I submit that those creatures who claim to pray for our souls while they prey on our kids can only be prevented from more abuse with light. Lots of light. And sound. Lots of trumpets, alarm bells, beepers. And publicity. Loads of publicity. E-mails, internet, names, names, names, and warnings, more warnings and even more warnings to parents where these cretin creepoids still manhandle boys and girls.

Restitution

this issue is separate and apart from the two above. It cannot and should not be mixed in a discussion of them. It can only be discussed apart from those two.

If you want to talk tort reform, fine. It is a tough issue. If you think that the church is being taken advantage of because of poor publicity and its impact, why not phone Bill O'Reilly instead? If you think that no amount of money can return one's innocence and money simply is not a measure of the damage done, join the crowd. However, at this time, money is the only way our court system rewards those injured and attempts restitution.

please don't take my post as an attack; it is not. But seeing first hand (with my clients) how animals are protected, moved and hidden from public view after they repeatedly abuse little boys and girls, I know all too well just how bad this institution is. A little light shone into its musky, dirty, dank, dark, evil, workings would do everyone a lot of good.

[MsAnthropy]

32. BRAVO!