CA - Grand jury indicts Stockton priest; SNAP responds

January 14, 2014

For immediate release: Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2014

Statement by Joelle Casteix of Newport Beach CA, western regional director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (949 322 7434,jcasteix@gmail.com)

This indictment is a huge victory for Kelly's victims, who have fought for years to ensure that what happened to them never happens to another child. We salute them for their tenacity against what seemed to be huge odds.

The indictment is also the main reason that victims pursue justice in the civil courts. Civil lawsuits can be the best way to unearth evidence that can help law enforcement and grand juries.

We call on Stockton Bishop Stephen Blaire to turn over all information he has on Michael Kelly, publicly apologize to victims and Catholics for allowing Kelly to remain in ministry, and reach out to all of Stockton's Catholics, urging them to come forward if they have been abused or seen or suspected abuse. We certainly hope that his planned bankruptcy filing is not a calculated attempt to tie up evidence and hamper the criminal justice process.

http://www.lodinews.com/news/article_fe26ed0e-cc23-5567-8f85-12e970d5f43c.html

Contact - David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, SNAPclohessy@aol.com), Barbara Dorris (314-862-7688 home, 314-503-0003 cell, SNAPdorris@gmail.com), Barbara Blaine (312-399-4747, SNAPblaine@gmail.com)

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Barbara Blaine, founder of SNAP, passed away on Sunday, September 24th, 2017. Her dying was sudden and completely unexpected. Words cannot express our sorrow nor are there words to express our gratitude for her relentless advocacy. She truly was a hero. There is an old saying, “well behaved women seldom make history”. Barbara made history and the world is a better place.

We have put together a tribute for Barbara Blaine to honor her memory. If you would like to contribute a memory, please send your favorite memory of Barbara to admin@snapnetwork.org

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50 State AG Call for Grand Jury

Write a letter to the attorney general of your state. Demand, request, and beg them to impanel a grand jury.

Any investigation must be:

independent of and separate from the church
must have subpoena powers and ability to compel testimony under oath

Anything short of these criteria is a sham and whitewash.

In addition, write letters to the editor, make phone calls to politicians as they can apply pressure to keep them responsive to our demand. We need to make efforts to ensure that they follow up on what the state is doing to investigate these crimes.

The Attorneys General of forty states have inquired about the grand jury process in Pennsylvania. Let's get statewide investigations going in fifty states.

Check here for an up-to-date list of active investigations as well as the associated hotlines, websites, and email addresses that survivors can use to report their experiences.

Note to Letter Writers

Use your own words and style of writing. Cut and paste from the templates as you wish. Include your experiences, whether as a survivor or as a member of the community. And relate your letter to the state you were abused in or state now living in.