Victims blast MO Supreme Court

And they chastise St. Louis’ archbishop

New ruling creates discrimination, group says

Catholic officials ignore papal admonition to stop future abuse

New court ruling makes it “much tougher” for kids hurt in churches

SNAP: “Those molested in public institutions, however, have more rights”

Group challenges Carlson to “public discussion” of church legal tactics

WHAT
Holding signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk news conference, clergy sex abuse victims will
-- blast St. Louis’ Catholic archbishop for his continued “legal hardball” tactics,
-- challenge him to a public discussion of the archdiocese’s litigation strategies, and
-- blast Missouri’s Supreme Court for tossing out two clergy sex abuse cases this week and making it harder for other child molestation victims to take legal action.

They will also prod anyone who saw, suspected or suffered clergy sex to
---keep coming forward, despite recent adverse court decisions, and
---contact police officials, not church officials.

WHEN
Friday, July 2, 1:30 p.m.

WHERE
Outside the St. Louis archdiocese headquarters, 4445 Lindell (near Taylor)., in St. Louis, MO

WHO
Two-three members of a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org), including the organization’s long time director

WHY
Earlier this week, in a thus-far-unnoticed move, Missouri’s highest court tossed out two civil lawsuits that charge a Catholic priest with molesting girls and Catholic officials with ignoring or concealing those crimes. Most such decisions hinge on the statute of limitations. In these cases, however, the court is endorsing what SNAP called “a two tiered, discriminatory set of standards” that make it harder for children assaulted in religious settings to expose predators than children assaulted in private or public settings.

The Court has ruled that lawsuits involving abuse in private settings can be based on negligence, while lawsuits involving abuse in religious settings must prove ill intent, a higher standard.

It’s the latest in a series of at least seven recent Missouri Supreme Court rulings (over the last three or four years) that have gone against child sex abuse victims, SNAP says. (A fact sheet listing these decisions will be provided at the news conference.)

SNAP believes it’s immoral for Archbishop Robert Carlson to “exploit legal technicalities” in child sex abuse lawsuits. The group feels he should fight accusers, if he so chooses, on the merits, not on legal “loopholes.”

Carlson’s legal maneuvers are especially galling, the group says, in light of the Pope’s pledge, just two weeks ago, to “do everything possible” to stop crimes by pedophile priests.

CONTACT David Clohessy 314 566 9790, SNAPclohessy@aol.com, Mary Ellen Kruger 314 807 2372
Barbara Dorris 314 862 7688 home, SNAPdorris@gmail.com