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	Listecki Defends Actions on Accused Priest, Says He Lacked Evidence By Annysa Johnson Milwaukee Journal Sentinel February 16, 2010 http://www.jsonline.com/features/religion/84535072.html WISCONSIN -- Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome Listecki on Tuesday defended his handling of a sexual assault allegation against a La Crosse priest while he was bishop there, saying he had no choice but to side with the priest - who was later charged by police - given the lack of corroborating evidence against him. "It was a he-said-she-said," Listecki told reporters after a midday appearance at the Marquette University Law School series "On the Issues" with longtime Milwaukee journalist Michael Gousha. "With everything that was put before me, I don't think I could have made any other decision," Listecki said. Father Edmund Donkor-Baine, 47, a visiting priest from Guyana, was charged last week with fourth-degree sexual assault of a woman he was counseling through a divorce. Donkor-Baine is accused of trying to indecently touch the woman and forcing her to touch him. The woman reported the case to police after the La Crosse Diocese took no action. In a separate issue, the La Crosse Diocese on Monday amended its sex abuse policies to recommend victims notify civil authorities, in addition to the diocese, in cases involving minors - a move that brings it more in line with Milwaukee's policies. The La Crosse Diocese administrator and chancellor did not return a telephone call and e-mails seeking comment. However, local church officials said the change was made at the urging of Listecki, who served last in La Crosse and has been criticized in recent weeks over the notification policy there. "He recommended they change it after seeing how we do things here," said Archdiocese spokeswoman Julie Wolf. Listecki has come under fire in recent weeks over the La Crosse policy, which, until Tuesday, directed victims in cases involving minors to report abuse claims to the diocese, rather than to civil authorities, as the Milwaukee Archdiocese does on its Web site, www.archmil.org. Eau Claire Police Chief Jerry Matysik and state Sen. Jon Erpenbach (D-Waunakee) have taken issue with the policy, which appeared in the La Crosse Catholic Times as recently as January, saying alleged crimes should be reported to police, not the church. Matysik said Tuesday that the change does not go far enough, insisting the diocese should leave criminal investigations to police and remove itself entirely from the reporting procedures. "There's a huge opportunity to harm the investigation by taking steps prior to civil authorities knowing about the crime," Matysik said. Listecki said Tuesday all cases involving minors are turned over immediately to police but that simultaneous reporting allows him to move quickly to remove an offending priest from ministry to protect children. Also this week, the Milwaukee Archdiocese sent a letter to congregations clarifying local procedures for reporting clergy sex abuse cases. Wolf said it was an effort to dispel confusion raised by the La Crosse controversy.
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