NORTH CAROLINA
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
For immediate release: Friday, June 20, 2014
Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests ( 314 566 9790, SNAPclohessy@aol.com )
Innocent children and wounded victims have lost and serial wrongdoers have won today in a Charlotte courtroom, as clergy sex abuse and cover up cases against Charlotte Catholic officials have been tossed out.
We’re deeply saddened by this ruling.
It’s heartbreaking every time Catholic officials successfully exploit legal technicalities to deny abuse victims their day in court and evade responsibility for their heinous behavior.
We hope everyone who saw, suspected or suffered clergy sex crimes or cover ups in North Carolina won’t be deterred by this ruling. We hope they will find the courage to come forward, get help, and call police.
It’s pretty clear, based on the actions of church and law enforcement officials, that Fr. Joseph Kelleher and Fr. Richard Farwell are child molesters. But Charlotte Catholic officials care more about their reputations and comfort than about children’s safety, so they’re using every legal maneuver possible to block trials, maintain secrecy and discourage victims.
We hope the bishop fails. We hope this ruling will inspire others who have been assaulted by Catholic priests, nuns, seminarians and brothers to overcome their fears, expose pedophile priests and seek justice.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.