MN--Victims: “Prosecutors should now seek porn charges against priest”

By David Clohessy
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
June 21, 2016

http://www.snapnetwork.org/mn_victims_prosecutors_should_now_seek_porn_charges_against_priest

Now that Fr. Brian Lederer has escaped responsibility for his other child sex crimes, we urge prosecutors to renew their child pornography case against him. That’s the best way to keep this predators away from his prey.

The Duluth News Tribune reported yesterday that “Authorities also charged Lederer with possession of child pornography after recovering images of suspected child pornography from his computer. . “ and “Lederer could ‘potentially’ still be prosecuted on that pornography charge,” according to prosecutors.

We firmly believe this is a crucial step toward ensuring the safety of kids in the Duluth area.

We also believe that Duluth Bishop Paul Sirba should should turn over Fr. Lederer’s full personnel file to law enforcement agencies every place where the priest worked. He should personally visit every parish where Fr. Lederer ever was, even briefly, and beg anyone who may have information or suspicions about him to call police or prosecutors. He should send the same message through church websites, parish bulletins and pulpit announcements across the whole diocese.

This isn’t rocket science. These aren’t expensive, controversial or unprecedented moves. They are the least that a caring shepherd should do in this situation.

And if he refuses, priests and other church employees in northern Minnesota should step up and do all they can to seek out others who may have been hurt by Fr. Lederer.

Our hearts ache for the four girls and their families who have helped police and prosecutors pursue an accused child molesting cleric, Fr. Lederer. They must be terribly distraught that he’s been deemed “not guilty.”

We hope more who were victimized by Fr. Lederer come forward so that he might face more charges and eventually be kept away from kids.

http://www.grandforksherald.com/news/crime-and-courts/4058366-minnesota-priest-found-not-guilty-sexual-abuse-case

Often, predatory preachers, ministers and rabbis get top notch defense lawyers and exploit legal technicalities and get off scot-free. The best remedy in these tragic cases is for others with information or suspicions about the offender to summon up some strength and call law enforcement. We hope that happens here.

No matter what lawmakers or church officials do or don’t do, we urge every single person who saw, suspected or suffered child sex crimes and cover ups in Catholic churches or institutions to protect kids by calling police, get help by calling therapists, expose wrongdoers by calling law enforcement, get justice by calling attorneys, and be comforted by calling support groups like ours. This is how kids will be safer, adults will recover, criminals will be prosecuted, cover ups will be deterred and the truth will surface.