Family of Alleged Child Porn Victim Sues Priest, Diocese, by Jason Vaughn, Fox 4, September 22, 2011

Family of Alleged Child Porn Victim Sues Priest, Diocese

By Jason Vaughn
Fox 4
September 22, 2011

http://www.fox4kc.com/news/wdaf-child-porn-lawsuit-family-of-alleged-child-porn-victim-sues-priest-diocese-20110922,0,2585573.story

KANSAS CITY, Mo.— The family of an alleged child pornography victim has filed a federal lawsuit against accused priest Father Shawn Ratigan, Bishop Robert Finn and the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, alleging that Ratigan distributed pictures of the child over the internet, and that Finn and the diocese subsequently tried to cover it up to protect Ratigan.

The lawsuit, filed by the alleged victim's parents on the child's behalf, is based on a little-known federal child pornography statute known as Masha's Law - so named for a child adopted from a Russian orphanage at age 5 by a man who then sexually abused her, and spread her image on the internet.

According to lawyers for the alleged victim, Masha's Law protects children and families from child pornographers and those who assist them by creating a civil claim for child pornography victims allowing the victim to file a civil lawsuit in federal district court against anyone who produced, distributed or possessed any sexually explicit images of him or her.

"As we see so often, this case appears to be one of top officials concerned about reputation over safety of children," said the plaintiff's attorney Jeff Anderson in a statement. "We applaud the courage of this family for taking action to make this problem known in order to protect children in the future."

According to attorney's for the family, the complaint alleges that Father Shawn Ratigan, then an employee of the diocese, created child porn involving the plaintiff in this case and many others.

When the Diocese became aware of Ratigan's photographs, the lawsuit alleges that the diocese and Bishop Finn failed to report Ratigan to the police, and instead, "aided and abetted" Ratigan over a six-month period by covering up his conduct, duplicating and distributing the images he created, and collaborating to destroy evidence about the child porn in order make it harder for victims and law enforcement to trace how Ratigan distributed and received his images.

In a statement, the diocese said, "While the diocese has noted many inaccurate statements in the civil complaint, it intends to place these false statements into the hands of the court."

The diocese appointed an ombudsman, Jenifer Valenti, last June to receive and investigate all reports of sexual misconduct or suspicious behavior by clergy, lay employees and volunteers of diocese. The diocese says that once investigated, Valenti then presents her findings to an independent review board, a group of professionals not employed by the diocese, for a course of action.

Ratigan, 45, already faces 13 federal child pornography charges, as well as Clay County charges of possessing child pornography. Ratigan was the parish pastor at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Kansas City, Mo., and as chaplain to the Franciscan Sisters of the Holy Eucharist in Independence.

Court documents in Jackson County show that on June 16, police were issued a search warrant and conducted a search of a residence in Independence, Mo. where Ratigan was staying as a guest. The search was issued after receiving a tip which suggested there were more inappropriate pictures on the computer inside the home where Ratigan had visited.

The documents show police found pictures including one picture of a girl with an angle that exposes her underpants.

Ratigan was arrested in May for possession of child pornography. Bishop Finn has apologized for mishandling the case. The diocese found out about the original pictures in December but did not turn them over to police until May.