MI - Former priest in court today on child porn charges, SNAP responds
Today, a former Detroit Catholic priest will be in court facing child porn charges. We hope the judge gives him little or no benefit of the doubt.
Often sex offenders like Timothy Murray get top notch defense lawyers, exploit technicalities, strike deals, and win leniency. They then use that leniency to flee the country or offend again.
And, while free awaiting trial, they often destroy evidence, intimidate victims, discredit whistleblowers, and threaten witnesses.
At a bare minimum, we hope the judge will insist that Murray give up his passport. We also hope that anyone else who may have seen, suspected or suffered crimes by Murray will contact police and prosecutors promptly so that he might be effectively prosecuted and kept away from kids.
Finally, this case is another reminder of why Catholic officials should prominently post and repeatedly circulate lists of their proven, admitted and credibly accused child molesting clerics. Otherwise, most of these sex offenders - having successfully run out the statute of limitations on their crimes - live and work among unsuspecting neighbors and often re-offend.
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