CA--Cosby files to dismiss suit
For immediate release Friday, December 5
Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests 314 503 0003, [email protected]
We beg Bill Cosby to reverse his decision to get the child sex lawsuit against him tossed out. He should fight the suit using the merits, not by exploiting the technicalities.
And we beg Judy Huth to file a formal police report as soon as she is able. We applaud her decision to file a civil suit.
Cosby claims “a guy should not have to respond to innuendos.” Neither should a guy have to respond to extortion. So why didn’t he file charges or at least publicly disclose the alleged extortion he now conveniently claims he experienced from Judy Huth’s attorney.
Cosby and his lawyers had a chance to expose and punish alleged wrongdoing in court. Like Catholic bishops, he chose secrecy over openness. So he has lost any standing to now criticize his alleged victims for not exposing and punishing him in court decades ago.
Cosby was once “America’s dad.” He’s now “America’s dodger” for trying to wiggle out of facing child sex abuse allegations in court.
He lets his lawyer attack his victims for not pursuing charges against him while refusing to pursuing charges against his alleged extortionist. He’s now “America’s hypocrite” or “America’s Double Standardbearer.”
As flawed as it may be, virtually no process reveals truth better than a trial. But by filing a motion to dismiss, Cosby shows he’s afraid of a trial. He wants to discredit his alleged victims for not taking legal action against alleged wrongdoers while he himself refused to take legal action against an alleged wrongdoer.
Refusing to address these serious allegations in public is wrong. Refusing to address them in court is wrong too. Cosby’s self-serving legal maneuver and public relations evasions will cause the public to see him as a sex offender and child molester AND a coward.
A few venues have still booked performances by Cosby. They should be inspired by the courage of Cosby’s victims and be brave enough - and decent enough – to cancel Cosby’s appearances.
(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the world’s oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. We were founded in 1988 and have more than 20,000 members. Despite the word “priest” in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
Contact - David Clohessy, 314-566-9790, [email protected], Barbara Dorris 314-503-0003, [email protected], Barbara Blaine 312-399-4747, [email protected], Joelle Casteix, 949-322-7434 [email protected]
Winter Appeal 2023
To our friends,
2023 has been a long year with many ups and downs for us all. As we close out the year, we at SNAP hope that you are feeling like you are on your way to being healthy, fulfilled, and happy. This past year has brought both successes and challenges. Thanks to the support you have shown in the past, we’ve been able to celebrate the good days and weather the stormy ones. Now, we are once again asking for your support as we work to support survivors new and old as we ‘Move SNAP Forward.’
At SNAP we are proud to have hosted a very well-attended conference in August 2023. This event allowed us to gather friends, survivors, advocates, and allies for a weekend of camaraderie and connection. We were so happy to be able to welcome many first-time attendees to gather in person and are already looking forward to the next conference.
To strengthen our movement for justice, healing, and prevention, SNAP will be expanding our peer support and providing more volunteer opportunities in the coming year. Through this great work, we are ensuring survivor voices are represented as we work for significant change that will benefit children and survivors.
Right now, survivors worldwide are getting the help they need from SNAP, and more and more reach out to us daily, but we need your help to keep those programs going and get our volunteers the training they need to thrive.
Your tax-deductible gift to SNAP can help offset the cost of our important mission. If you are not in a position to contribute, you can still support us by sharing this letter with those who can. As we continue to fight for survivors across the globe, your donation or sharing the great work SNAP does will help us continue our work to protect the vulnerable, heal the wounded, and prevent abuse.
Your donation ensures SNAP will be there for those who need us more than ever!
Warmly,
Michael W. McDonnell, C.P.S.
Interim Executive Director
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