Prosecutor Waited Two Years to File "Maidens" Sex-abuse Charges

By Brian Lambert
MinnPost
April 17, 2014

http://www.minnpost.com/glean/2014/04/prosecutor-waited-two-years-file-maidens-sex-abuse-charges

Two … years. Pam Louwagie, Jennifer Brooks and Jenna Ross of the Strib continue reporting on the River Road Fellowship “maidens” story. “Even after two young women stepped forward to say their minister had molested them as children and the Sheriff’s Office built its case, it took two years for the Pine County attorney’s office to bring charges. … When the county attorney’s office brought charges two years later, there was little substantial change beyond the evidence investigators submitted in 2012, Cole said.”

In the same vein … . Madeleine Baran at MPR says, “A former top deputy of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis answered questions under oath today about his handling of clergy sexual abuse cases as part of a lawsuit brought by an alleged victim. The Rev. Kevin McDonough, who served as vicar general for Archbishops John Roach and Harry Flynn and led the archdiocese's child safety programs until September, declined to comment. Attorney Jeff Anderson, who represents the alleged victim of the Rev. Thomas Adamson, said McDonough answered most questions. However, McDonough refused to respond to questions about his decision not to participate in a St. Paul police investigation into clergy abuse cases … .”

Did not see this coming. The AP story says, “Football players at Minnesota State Mankato refused to practice for their former head coach Wednesday, greeting his reinstatement by an arbitrator by demanding that the interim coach keep the top job. … They read a statement saying they were unanimous in wanting Aaron Keen to remain as head coach.”

In the Mankato Free Press, Jim Rueda says, “Aaron Keen, the program's interim head coach for two seasons and now the associated head coach, came over and shook Hoffner's hand and appeared to welcome him back. A few minutes later, all but three players emerged from the locker room in street clothes and gathered at the entrance to the practice field. Junior safety Samuel Thompson read from a prepared statement saying the team had been silenced through the two-year ordeal and it was time to speak up.”

Even Lou Holtz stayed longer than this. In the Strib Amelia Rayno says, “At a barely ripe 32 years old, Minnesota coach Richard Pitino has already manned two head coaching jobs in his first two years with that title. ... ESPN's Jeff Goodman reported on Wednesday afternoon that Pitino is on Tennessee's ‘short list’ for replacing Cuonzo Martin, who bolted for the University of California on Tuesday. Minnesota Athletic Director Norwood Teague said on the Dan Barreiro show on KFAN that Pitino is not interested in the job.”

MNsure FUBAR isn't over ... . James Nord of Politics in Minnesota reports nearly 14,000 low-income Minnesotans are not getting the 50-percent health-care premium reductions they should because of problems transitioning from MinnesotaCare to MNsure. For example, a monthly premium now $49 a month should be $29. The state plans to reimburse the mostly single adults, but isn't sure how much that will cost.

The Minnesota Daily wants the legislature to think again about a bill prohibiting “gay healing.” “Minnesota minors may not get the protection they deserve regarding sexual orientation identity now that a bill to ban anti-gay therapy fell short in the state Legislature. Support for the bill grew after two University of Minnesota political science students created an online petition requesting its introduction. The petition received more than 110,000 signatures. ... We are disappointed that the bill did not get a hearing … .”

Will we need personal seat licenses for soccer, too? For NBC Sports, Joe Prince-Wright says, “With Atlanta set to be announced as MLS’ 23rd franchise on Wednesday afternoon now other markets wanting to become the 24th franchise, which MLS Commissioner Don Garber previously said would be the limit for the foreseeable future, Minneapolis-St. Paul seems to be right at the front of the list. … the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings are ‘stepping up’ their bid to bring MLS to the land of 10,000 lakes. The Vikings’ vice president of public affairs, Lester Bagley, said the team are working to secure an MLS expansion franchise to play in their new downtown Minneapolis stadium, which is set to open in 2016.”

Three Minnesota companies made Military Times’ “Best Companies for Veterans” list. Jim Hammerand at the Business Journal says, “No. 25: U.S. Bank U.S. Bancorp's bank subsidiary said 2,000 of its 66,000 employees (3 percent) are military veterans or reservists. … . No. 26: Xcel Energy Inc. The Minneapolis-based power utility company reported 10 percent of its 11,000-person workforce is military veterans or reservists. … No 52: Hormel Foods Corp. Almost 3 percent of Hormel's 12,267 employees come from the military. Of last year's hires, 2.5 percent were military veterans or reservists.”

Mother Strib tut tuts the “flap” over Condoleezza Rice. “One has to wonder if the same 182 faculty members would protest an appearance by President Obama over his use of drones or the fact that the Guantanamo Bay detention center remains open today. The letter goes on to cite another point of contention in the Rice flap — the $150,000 speaking fee she will receive. … It’s our hope that Rice will take the opportunity to reflect not only on her upbringing in the segregated South during the civil rights movement, but also on her role in the Bush administration … .”

This will get tricky over family dinners … . Stribber Paul Walsh says, “A 19-year-old man has admitted to charges that he and his father played host to an underage booze party attended by a standout high school athlete who died in wintry weather after fleeing the gathering when authorities showed up. Erik P. Hastad’s father, Gary, was in court Wednesday for a hearing and has yet to enter a plea, according to his attorney, Ronald R. Frauenshuh Jr. If the older Hastad takes his case to trial, he may hear his son testifying against him, Frauenshuh said Wednesday.”