BALTIMORE (MD)
WBFF - Fox 45 [Baltimore MD]
April 18, 2023
By Maxine Streicher
Catholic church sex abuse survivors are calling on prosecutors to open a criminal investigation into the Baltimore Archdiocese.
“My abuser was known about in 1966. I could’ve been saved had they done the right thing then. Surely they can do the right thing now,” said Teresa Lancaster.
Since the release of this report detailing the horrific and repeated abuse of more than 600 child victims allegedly at the hands of 156 abusers within the Archdiocese of Baltimore, survivor Teresa Lancaster is demanding more.
“When you go through the report you see the page that says church leaders they’re all redacted why,” she asked.
The names of 10 priests were redacted from the report.
Lancaster and several other survivors, now represented by attorney Thiru Vignarajah are asking those names be released, and those accused perpetrators still living be criminally prosecuted.
“Survivors have been asked to accept a false choice between uncertain civil remedies and criminal charges,” he said.
Attorney General Anthony Brown has promised to do whatever he can to bring justice for the victims.
“We hope exposing transgressions to the fullest extent possible will bring some measure of accountability and perhaps encourage others to come forward,” he said.
Brown also said it may be too late for criminal justice as many of the abusers are dead, and there are roadblocks to prosecute those still living.
“There are limits, regrettably, unfortunately, in the state of Maryland in terms of what the AG can do, because of statute of limitations and alike in the criminal justice system,” he said.
However, Vignarajah said that’s not necessarily true.
“Many of the crimes perpetrated by those individuals whose names are currently redacted are clear as day felonies and in the state of Maryland there is no statute of limitations for felony crimes,” he said.
He’s making it clear his clients are available and ready to speak.
“Where are the living predators today? These people are among us and we need to protect other people from being harmed,” Lancaster said.
Brown did say during a press conference about the report one person had been indicted.
“The Attorney General is here for the survivors. He hears them and he believes them. And he is committed to prosecuting any abuser where the evidence supports, and the law permits prosecution. The Attorney General has been careful to explain that in some cases, the law prevents him from taking certain actions. Prosecutions of the abusive conduct documented in the report are not viable at this time for reasons that vary from case to case. For instance, in several cases, at the time the abusive conduct was committed, the abuse was classified as a misdemeanor, and the statute of limitations on those cases has expired. Even if that conduct is now classified as a felony, the law prevents the Attorney General’s Office from prosecuting those older cases of abuse. In other cases, an abuser may have entered into a plea agreement with a local prosecutor and as a result the Attorney General’s Office is prohibited by law from prosecuting those cases.”