PA--Some charges dropped vs. Penn State staff; Victims respond

For immediate release: Friday, Jan. 22, 2016

Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790[email protected])

We encourage prosecutors to seek reconsideration of today’s ruling in the Penn State case to the full Superior Court or appeal it to the state Supreme Court. We’re grateful that some charges against Penn State officials are still pending.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/charges-penn-state-administrators-thrown-36451776

Exactly what charges these callous administrators are found guilty of or plead guilty to matters less to us. What matters most is that they are held responsible for their irresponsible actions and inactions that enabled Jerry Sandusky to continue to have access to innocent kids.

It’s worth noting that once again, a ruling won by defense lawyers for a Catholic official who ignored or concealed child sex crimes (Msgr. William Lynn of the Philadelphia archdiocese) is making it harder to punish those who ignore or conceal child sex crimes outside of the church. Those who believe that the continuing abuse and cover up crisis in the church is some kind of internal scandal that doesn’t impact non-Catholics should think again.

We hope every single person who saw, suspected or suffered child sex crimes or cover ups at Penn State will find the strength to call police, expose wrongdoers and protect kids. And we hope prosecutors will fight hard to overcome or overturn this decision.

(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the world’s oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. SNAP was founded in 1988 and has more than 20,000 members. Despite the word “priest” in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)

Contact - David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, [email protected][email protected]), Barbara Dorris (314-503-0003 cell, [email protected]), Barbara Blaine (312-399-4747[email protected])


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