CALIFORNIA
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
For immediate release: Wednesday, Saturday, July 3
Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790, SNAPclohessy@aol.com)
We are grateful that a judge ruled today against a predator priest who claimed his abuse admission should not be heard as evidence in a criminal case.
Sacramento Superior Court Judge Eugene L. Balonon today rejected a motion by Fr. Uriel Ojeda that Ojeda’s acknowledgement of heinous crimes should be kept from jurors.
Time and time again, child molesting clerics admit their crimes to colleagues or police, then later claim they were coerced or that their admissions should be kept secret. Time and time again, Catholic officials abuse the ‘priest-penitent privilege’ to hide their hurtful deeds.
We are glad this judge didn’t buy the spurious claim that Fr. Ojeda expected his admission of child sex crimes should be kept private.
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