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	Victims' Attorney Statement: U.S. Supreme Court Decision and Bridgeport Diocese Secret Personnel Documents By J. Michael Reck Manly & Stewart October 5, 2009 http://www.manlystewart.com/news_singlestory/U.S.-Supreme-Court-Decision- and-Bridgeport-Diocese-Secret-Personnel-Documents To put it simply, today's decision by the U.S. Supreme Court was a huge victory for everyone who demands justice, truth, transparency and accountability. For eight years, the Bridgeport Diocese has attempted to block the release of potentially devastating secret personnel records out of fear that high-ranking members of the church hierarchy will be implicated in covering up the sexual abuse of children. Then, church officials had the temerity to claim that they were doing so under the constitutional protections of freedom of religion. In the meantime, millions of dollars of churchgoers' and taxpayers' money were wasted in the attempt to support the church's position. The sexual abuse of children is a crime, period. Covering it up is criminal, not an expression of religion. Fortunately, the U.S. Supreme Court agrees. Now, we can learn the truth about men like Fr. Gorecki, a well-known priest predator. We can find out why church leaders put priest pedophiles in supervisory roles, where they may have allowed other predators to hurt kids. Finally, we can learn the role of men like Cardinal Egan in the cover-up of sex abuse. The civil court system has been the only venue for many victims of clergy sexual abuse to seek justice and accountability. Were it not for the tried-and-true justice system, clergy crimes against children would have remained hidden, and predators and their protectors would still be allowed to hurt children, destroy families, and ravage communities. This decision is landmark, and we heartily look forward to the expedient release of all documents. That is the only way that survivors can heal and justice can be served.
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