Case Against Accused Priest that Ended in Hung Jury to be Re-tried
We are thrilled by the decision to re-try a Kansas City archdiocese priest whose trial last month ended in a hung jury. We believe this move will help keep children in Kansas safer and sends the message that abuse will not be tolerated.
The formal charges against Fr. Scott Kallal stemmed from abuse allegations from one girl, but during the trial at least two other girls testified. Going through a trial even once demonstrates real courage by this teenager and her family and they are to be applauded for their willingness to go trial a second time. We hope any others with knowledge of or suspicions about Fr. Kallal will be inspired by this bravery and step forward so these young girls who testified won’t have to shoulder this burden alone.
If the full truth is to be exposed here, it is crucial that victims, witnesses, and whistle-blowers come forward to law enforcement officials and report any information or suspicions. We hope that church officials in Kansas City, KS will take steps to urge parishioners and the public to share what they know with police and prosecutors now.
CONTACT: Zach Hiner, Executive Director ([email protected], 517-974-9009)
(SNAP, the Survivors Network, has been providing support for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings for 30 years. We have more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)