PA--Victims comment on tomorrow’s Cosby hearing
For immediate release: Monday, Feb. 1, 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 hope Bill Cosby loses tomorrow in court. And we hope that more people will understand that civil lawsuits can help with criminal prosecution, no matter what happens in this particular case.
A number of predator priests have been criminally pursued using evidence gained in civil litigation. That’s a good thing. We hope that happens with Cosby.
http://www.snapnetwork.org/civil_lawsuits_help_criminal_prosecution
Civil and criminal cases are separate. What one person allegedly promised in one realm should have no bearing on what happens in the other realm.
It’s unclear what an ex-prosecutor may or may not have promised Cosby’s ex-lawyer. But it’s crystal clear what Cosby himself admitted to under oath about his creepy behavior and attitudes towards women.
Regardless of the outcome tomorrow, we hope every single person who saw, suspected or suffered crimes or cover ups by Cosby or his family or lawyers will find the strength to call police, expose wrongdoers and protect kids.
(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]), Karen Polesir of Ambler, SNAP Philly director (267-992-9463,[email protected])
Odds are against dismissal of Cosby's sex assault case -experts
NEW YORK | BY JOSEPH AX, Reuters, Mon Feb 1, 2016 7:39am EST
Bill Cosby's lawyers may face difficulty in convincing a Pennsylvania judge this week to throw out sexual assault charges in light of what the disgraced comedian's defense team characterizes as a decade-old non-prosecution deal, legal experts said.
Cosby is due back in court in Norristown, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday, after the 78-year-old entertainer was charged last month with sex assault in 2004. The alleged victim says Cosby had plied with alcohol and drugs.
It is the only criminal prosecution that Cosby has ever faced, even though dozens of women have accused him of assault, in some cases decades ago.
The hearing outside Philadelphia will center on . . .
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
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