SNAP wants debate at SLU over predators

Group challenges university’s public safety director

He’s an ex-cop, yet lets 3 sex offenders quietly live on campus

Just last week a settlement was reached with 1 child molesting cleric

Seven predator priests associated with the university have been ‘outed’

Virtually all of them have been exposed by SNAP, none by SLU or archdiocese

Self help group to Biondi or Simon: “Let’s talk about why you house pedophiles”

WHAT
After a sidewalk news conference, clergy sex abuse victims will try to hand deliver a letter to the public safety director of a university, challenging him and the school president to a public debate over the housing of sex offender clergy. As students and staff walk by, the group will also hand out leaflets to passers-by about
--- one predator priest on the campus against whom new child sex abuse settlement was just reached, and
--- six other proven, admitted or credibly accused sex offender clergy who are or were associated with the university.

WHEN
TODAY, Wednesday, May 13, 10:00 a.m.

WHERE
At St. Louis University, starting at the corner Lindell and Grand), then walking to the Director of Security’s office (DuBourg Hall, 221 N. Grand) in St. Louis

WHO
Several men and women who were victimized by clergy and belong to a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org)

VISUALS
The group will release a statement from a victim (who is remaining anonymous) who just settled his sex abuse settlement against a SLU resident & will have articles, legal records & photos of 1-2 of the predators.

WHY
For months, SNAP has urged SLU President Lawrence Biondi to disclose the names of all current and former predatory university employees, especially those still on the campus. Their requests have been ignored, so now they’re targeting SLU’s public safety director, Sam Simon, a former city police officer.

The group is challenging Biondi and Simon to at least hold a public discussion or debate on the practice of housing potentially dangerous men at the university.

Last week, SNAP l earned at a second child sex abuse lawsuit has just settled against Fr. Chester E. Gaiter. He and at least two other predator priests now live at Jesuit Hall (Lindell & Grand). They are Fr. Vincent W. Bryce (256-8809) and Fr. Gerhardt B. Lehmkuhl (658-2687). According to news accounts, Bryce admitted that he molested a child and was suspended from a parish in 2002. Lehmkuhl pled guilty to child porn and was sentenced to one year in prison in 1996 .

Last month, SNAP learned that another priest, Fr. Juan Carlos Duran, was accused of making lewd gestures and watching kids undress in the locker room of the SLU swimming pool and gym in the 1990s. In February, a child molestation lawsuit against Duran was settled in Memphis for $2 million. http://www.memphisdailynews.com/editorial/Article.aspx?id=36058

In recent months, SNAP disclosed that two other predators worked at SLU. They are Fr. Charles H. Miller, (who officials admit is “credibly accused” of “sexual misconduct” against a St. Louis teenager and has been publicly ‘outed’ in San Antonio media) and Fr. Eugene Maio (against whom a child sex abuse lawsuit was settled for six figures in California). Like Duran, neither Miller nor Maio have ever been named in the St. Louis area as accused predators with ties to SLU.

A seventh predator associated with SLU, Fr. Jack Campbell, faces at least 13 accusers who have been paid more than $575,000 in settlements.

For the sake of public safety, SNAP believes that university officials should disclose the names and whereabouts of all current and former staff who've been accused of molesting kids. (The group feels SLU has a particular duty to reach out to anyone hurt by Duran, since his crimes were recent, he's wanted by law enforcement, and he's left the country.)

Bryce (256-8809) is a librarian at the Aquinas Institute (23 S. Spring at Forest Park Pkwy), Lehmkuhl (658-2687) is the Jesuit’s “plant manager,” Gaiter is retired, Miller lives in Rome, Campbell lives in Colorado, and

Duran is apparently a fugitive and is believed to have fled to South America.

CONTACT:
David Clohessy of St. Louis, SNAP National Director (314) 566 9790 cell, (314) 645 5915 home