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	Group Seeks St. Norbert Abbey's Help Letter Calls for Priest's Surrender By Patti Zarling Green Bay Press-Gazette January 24, 2008 http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080124/GPG0101/801240541/1207/GPGnews [Updated version of an article blogged previously] DE PERE — A survivors group for people abused by clergy wants the St. Norbert Abbey to help turn over to authorities a priest accused of molesting a boy during a four-day visit to St. Norbert College in the 1980s. The group called Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, or SNAP, delivered a letter to Abbot Gary Neville on Tuesday, urging the abbey to immediately turn over to authorities the Rev. Edward J. Smith. In 2007, Smith was found guilty in a federal civil suit in Delaware of sexually assaulting Ken Whitwell, now 39, over a three-year period in the 1980s. Neville, however, emphasized that Smith has never been a member of St. Norbert Abbey. Smith was a Norbertine priest who worked in Delaware and visited the De Pere Abbey in the 1980s, according to court documents. "St. Norbert Abbey has always cooperated with legal authorities whenever asked and will continue to do so," the abbot said in a written statement. SNAP argues that Smith should be criminally charged in Wisconsin because documents from the federal civil trial indicate some of the abuse occurred while Smith and Whitwell visited De Pere. Because the Wisconsin criminal statute freezes if an offender leaves the state, the statute of limitations has not run out, and Smith still can be prosecuted for actions that took place here, SNAP Midwest director Peter Isely said. "This is not a closed case; it's a cold case," he said. Isley wants Brown County District Attorney John Zakowski to investigate. Isely said he's been in contact with Zakowski via e-mail, though they haven't discussed specifics. Isely said he thinks Smith likely still is in Delaware and would need to be extradited if Zakowski's office moves forward. The Wisconsin Norbertines should work to bring Smith back to Wisconsin for possible prosecution, he said. A U.S. District Court jury awarded Whitwell $41 million in damages. Whitwell testified he was sexually abused hundreds of times by Smith, a faculty priest at Archmere Academy in Delaware, including episodes in that state, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, New Jersey and Vermont. Isely said he's hopeful prosecution here will move forward. "This case, I think, is an awful good case," he said. Contact: pzarling@greenbaypressgazette.com
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