Priest Accused of Abuse Has Case Tossed Due to Statute of Limitations
Fr. Timothy Crowley was able to avoid a trial on allegations that he had sexually abused a minor while working in three Ann Arbor area parishes in the late 1980s. The case was dismissed not because the facts of the allegations were in dispute, but because the judge believed the time had run out to bring charges thanks to Michigan’s archaic statute of limitations laws.
We applaud Fr. Crowley's courageous survivor and everyone in law enforcement who investigated and pursued this case. We hope others who saw, suspected or suffered abuse at the hands of the priest will now be emboldened to step forward and call police and prosecutors. We urge every single staffer who worked at the parishes where Fr. Crowley was assigned to look among themselves for victims, ask others if they saw or suspected abuse, and help any still-silent victims come forward are start healing.
Finally, we hope that members of the public in Michigan will recognize the injustice in this case and see the need to reform civil and criminal statutes of limitation so that children are better protected, abusers are jailed, and communities can be safer.
CONTACT: Jeanne Hunton, SNAP Michigan ([email protected], 586-804-3654), Zach Hiner, SNAP 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