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	SNAP Calls for Federal Investigation into Gb Diocese By Mark Leland WLUK December 22, 2010 http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/local/green_bay/SNAP-calls-for-federal-investigation-into-GB-Diocese [with video] GREEN BAY - The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) is calling for a federal investigation into what it claims is obstruction of justice on the part of the Catholic Diocese of Green Bay. The Catholic Diocese of Green Bay is being accused of destroying files on known pedophile priests. "This is a serious and deliberate act of evidence destruction that a corporation could possibly engage itself in," said Peter Isely, Midwest Director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. The Diocese denies the claim, but members of SNAP are calling for a federal investigation into obstruction of justice. SNAP points to a recent deposition of Father John Doerfler of the diocese in a case involving convicted pedophile priest John Feeney. When asked in court about files of priests that had been accused of sexually molesting kids and whether they were destroyed be the diocese, Doerfler responded: "They would have been priests who were deceased and there were no pending claims, and documents were destroyed." The Diocese of Green Bay acknowledges some files on priests are routinely destroyed, although generally a priest's file is kept indefinitely.The diocese's Director of Administration, Deacon Tim Reilly, says no files are destroyed if there is pending litigation or claims. He calls the overall practice within the law and good management. "This was not done just to deal with clergy files; it was a matter of good management. No documents are destroyed if there is pending litigation," explained Reilly. SNAP officials contend destroying the files is being done to protect the diocese against future claims of fraud in hiding pedophile priests. Father John Connell of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee recently began standing up for victims of priest abuse and is concerned by the motive for destroying any church files. "Just because something might be legal to do might not be the right thing to do, and that's where I find myself very upset," said Connell. Todd Merryfield was assaulted by Feeney as a child and has filed a motion in court to stop the destruction of documents. "That doesn't make any sense in my world and that would lead most folks to really raise an eyebrow what really is going on here," said Merryfield. No court decision has been made on the motion to stop the diocese from destroying documents.
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