SNAP asks Contra Costa County DA to keep former priest Stephen Kiesle behind bars in the interest of public safety
(FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE APRIL 28, 2022)
Today SNAP sent the following letter to District Attorney Diana Becton regarding Case Number 01-22-00212, State v. Kiesle. We asked that the DA's office work very hard to keep Mr. Kiesle behind bars, for the safety of the public.
April 28, 2022
SNAP, Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests
PO Box 16376
Chicago, IL 60616
The Honorable Diana Becton
District Attorney of Contra Costa County
900 Ward St
Martinez, CA 94553
Re: Case Number 01-22-00212, State v. Kiesle
Dear Ms. Becton:
We are local representatives of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. Some of us attended the arraignment of the former Catholic priest Stephen Miller Kiesle last week. At the time, we heard Mr. Kiesle’s attorney say that his bail should be reduced because he is “not dangerous” and that a restraining order requested to benefit the widow of Curtis Gunn was unnecessary because Mr. Kiesle is not “a threat.”
We believe Mr. Kiesle is both dangerous and a threat, as well as a flight risk. In addition to the criminal charges referenced above, he is currently named in about fifteen civil lawsuits that target his former employer, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Oakland, for abuse that Mr. Kiesle perpetrated as a priest, as a deacon, as a seminarian, or as a volunteer. Mr. Kiesle is also being sued in at least one case for the wrongful death of one of his child abuse victims. With so much going against him, Mr. Kiesle really has nothing to lose, and could flee not just from the criminal prosecution, but also from all the civil cases that surely will require him to appear.
The opportunity for Mr. Kiesle to be free pending his criminal trial, comes with the risk that he could again drink and drive. Moreover, as a registered sex offender with two convictions for child sexual abuse, boys and girls are also at risk when Mr. Kiesle is free. We believe that as a man with really nothing left to lose, the harm he could do to innocent lives if free cannot be ignored.
We beg your office to use every tool at its disposal to keep Mr. Kiesle behind bars. If he must be released, we request that his passport be handed in, that he wears an ankle monitor, and that he be kept on home detention.
Respectfully,
Melanie Sakoda
SNAP Survivor Support Coordinator
925-708-6175
Dan McNevin
SNAP Treasurer
Joey Piscitelli
SNAP Northwest Leader
[email protected]
925-262-3699
CONTACT: The above names would be best to provide comments to the media –
(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
Showing 1 comment