Child sex victims want bishop to act

Predator priest was just arrested on Friday

But SNAP fears he may get off on technicality

So group wants Catholic official to help prosecutor

SNAP: “Knoxville prelate should more aggressively seek other victims”

Other TN prosecutors can use same law to jail other pedophiles, they say

What
Holding signs at a sidewalk news conference, clergy sex abuse victims

and their supporters will urge
-- a Catholic bishop to personally visit parishes where a just-arrested predator worked,
-- Tennessee prosecutors to re-examine pedophile priest cases, and consider taking advantage of a little-used state law to pursue older child sex crimes, and
-- those who saw, suspected or suffered clergy sex crimes to call police,

WHEN
Sunday, Sept. 5 at 1:30 p.m.

WHERE
Outside the Knoxville Catholic headquarters (chancery office) 805 Northshore Drive Southwest, Knoxville, TN 37919

WHO
Two-four members of a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org), including an Indiana man who was molested by the priest and who is cooperating with law enforcement in his prosecution.

VISUALS
The group will hold photos of the priests (also available at BishopAccountability.org)

WHY
On Friday, Sullivan County TN police arrested Fr. William C. Casey. He’s charged with molesting a then 12 year old boy between 1978 and 1980.

That victim, Warren Tucker, was also abused by Casey in Scott County, Virginia (where Casey was indicted early last month) and North Carolina (where he pleaded guilty to child sex charges).

Often, SNAP reports, predator priests hire top notch defense lawyers, exploit legal technicalities, escape conviction, or receive light sentences, and soon walk free, able to molest again. And often, the group says, others with information about clergy sex crimes remain silent.

In the diocese of Knoxville, some small steps have been taken to let parishioners and the public know about Casey’s crimes. But much more could and should be done, SNAP believes. Specifically, SNAP wants bishops in all three states (NC, TN and VA) to personally visit each parish where Casey worked, begging victims and witnesses to contact law enforcement. The same Tennessee law that is being used by Sullivan County authorities to prosecute William Casey can be used, SNAP feels, to pursue other predator priests (even though their crimes may have been committed years ago). Specifically, SNAP wants to see former priest Frank Richards indicted. He’s a former Catholic school principal who

now lives in Florida and is accused of molesting several children. The law can also be used to help keep now-incarcerated predator priest Edward McKeown behind bars, SNAP feels.

Tucker, now in his 40s, is married/single and lives in Jeffersonville, Indiana.

CONTACT
Susan Vance - East Tennessee Coordinator of SNAP 865-748-3518
Mike Coode – Middle Tennessee Coordinator of SNAP 615-364-2334