Natrona County Prosecutors Decline to Move Forward on Hart Case, SNAP Calls for Attorney General Intervention
Despite two separate investigations and recommendations from local police to file charges, Natrona County prosecutors have decided not to pursue criminal charges against a serially abusive former bishop. This is a disturbing and disappointing decision that raised the hopes of clergy abuse survivors only to once again see the system fail to take their allegations seriously. We call on the Attorney General of Wyoming to step in and take over this case in order to see it through to the end.
This case has been fraught with issues from the prosecutor’s office, including the misreading of documents, the need for two separate police investigations, and an ongoing unwillingness to communicate about the case with the public. Natrona County prosecutors have left victims and witnesses twisting in the wind after leading them on for the course of a year, forcing them to repeatedly relive painful memories about their abuse while apparently being unwilling to do anything about it.
Dan Itzen and his team in Natrona County have let down the people of Wyoming. Now we call on Attorney General Bridget Hill to step in, take over this case, and move forward. If Mr. Itzen and his team are unwilling to take steps to pursue justice, then the state’s top law enforcement official should.
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)
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