Priest Abuse Cases: Why We Handle Them

Joe Saunders
Attorney
(866) 735-1102 Ext 340
Visit Joe Saunders on Avvo
Posted by Joe SaundersMarch 15, 2009 12:11 PM
Tags: None

I'm writing this blog post in response to a comment posted about one of my earlier blog posts. In his comment, the writer attributed to me why lawyers take priest abuse cases: money and anti-Catholicism. I am compelled to respond to these inaccuracies and false attributions.

First of all, priest abuse cases are not the typical consumer justice case because in most instances, the statute of limitations is such that the survivor of abuse has no legal recourse whatsoever. Because the abuse happened so long ago, the abuser and the institution that protected him and allowed him to continue the abuse is immune from lawsuits. I take these cases because someone has to expose the secrecy and cover-up that allowed the abuse to continue for decades. Secondly, if we are able to bring an abuse case to court, the Church is forced to turn over documents about the nature and extent of their actions concerning the abuse scandal. Justice demands accountability and transparency which are the two strongest weapons we as a society have to stop child abuse. If the abuse remains in the shadows, it continues to fester and spread. As a result, many more children will be harmed and lives will be shattered.

The anti-Catholic charge has been around since the beginning of the priest abuse scandal in 2002 (at least it's latest epoch). While it's easy to hurl labels, it's not so easy to ground same in fact. The exposure of a priest's criminal behavior and the institution's failure to prevent it from continuing is a matter of public record. It's not a matter of opinion or debate. The fact that I discuss it and represent those who've been victimized by it doesn't make me anti-Catholic or anti-religion. On the contrary, I am holding the Church to the societal standard of being a good public citizen and a steward of the public trust.

This is why I'm advocating for the change in New York's sexual abuse law. The Child Victims Act would go along way to hold the Church and its clergy accountable for its actions. I advocate the same for pharmaceutical companies and medical device companies who have a public duty to be good steward in society.

10 Comments

Have an opinion about this post? Please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the feed to have future articles delivered to your feed reader.

Sister Maureen Paul Turlish
Posted by Sister Maureen Paul Turlish
March 15, 2009 2:38 PM

I agree with these remarks.

It is unfortunate that the institutional church did no hold itself to a higher standard in protecting children and avoid some of this but at the very least the church and any church leaders who are found to be enablers or facilitators to the sexual abuse of children must be held accountable in civil laws.

A civil window of one year will do a little to allow victim/surviovors of sexual abuse BY ANYONE their day of justice.

In Delaware we removed all statutes of limitation in regard to the sexual abuse of children and included a two year civil window for past childhood sexual abuse by anyone.

I urge all New Yorkers to support the proposed Child Victims Act in Albany on Tuesday.

All New York bishops and the New York Catholic Conference so be supporting it as well.

Call you representatives in Albany and tell them to support this bill.

Sister Maureen Paul Turlish
Victims' Advocate
New Castle, Delaware
maureenpaulturlish@yahoo.com

Albino Luciani
Posted by Albino Luciani
March 15, 2009 3:02 PM

Mr. Joe Saunders is 100% correct and factual.

The "Anti-Catholic" false and deflective charge(s), typically by evil and serial criminals like Roger M. Mahony, or his laity paid for armies of lawyers, or pr spin firms, or prpoaganda press sectretaries, or right wing attack dog - kool-aid drinking - entities like The Catholic League, is a clear and present danger (feable) attempt to go on the offensive.

Mahony and the USCCB's criminal cover-up, of decades of premediate aid, abetting, enabling, perpetrating and continued endangerment and sexual assault of hundreds of thousands (documented - just in the USA - at www.bishop-accountability.org/abusetracker) of minors, with impunity, and no real correction to this very day, is the equivalent of Al Queda operating within the US Borders with Carte Blanc.

The Roman Catholic Curia are indeed in direct violation of Federal RICO Statutes in the USA, and should be treated and prosecuted as such, because they intentionally, knowingly, and with malice of forethought, gamed the statute of limitations to avoid propsecution, over many decades, and to this day, still lobby in each state legislature, with laity revenues, to prevent the extension of such statutes, from civil or criminal prosecutiuon.

In point of FACT, the USCCB is indeed operating as Former Oklahoma Governor and Roman Catholic Frank Keating, resigned National Abuse Board member, correctly asserted = the USCCB is acting like "La Cosa Nostra"!

To date, the USCCB (Unremoved Sexual Criminal Cabal Bishops) admitt to $2.8 billion (laity) dollars, in diverted offetory plate monies, and squandered or sold laity paid for assets in cost, which does not include legal fees, massively hiked insurance liability premiuns, court costs, hush monies, or well over one billions dollars among the religious orders, thus far paid out either, just in the USA!

To date, no cardinal or bishop has been removed or personally punished (other than Bernard Law promoted to a cushy luxury life style in Rome at laity expense) for their overt obstruction of justice, endangerment, racketeering, perjury, tax evasion, fraud, embezzlement, accessory or perpetration to thousands of felonies, etc, in the USA. However, many miters are "retired" still unpunished, costing laity additional billions of dollars.

The Bernard Law's and Roger Mahony's are essentially the moral equivalent of Bernie Madoff claiming he was framed, and the charges against him, he had the decency, unlike Mahony or Law, to plead guilty to, are: "Anti Semtic".

A CROOK IS A CROOK, no matter what religious back ground.

THE SOLUTION? "STOP DONATING LAITY!" as St. Peter Damien correctly asserted.

Remember, the USCCB and Roman "La Cosa Nostra" Curia are a global pedo cult, whose motto and credo remains = ISAIAH 28:15!

St. Paul to the Ephesians, 5:11, reminds each of us: "Do not deal in fruitless deeds of darkness, but expose them!"

Edmund Burke simlarly reminds each of us: "The only condition for the triumph of evil is for good men (or women) to do nothing!"

No Guilty Curia Removal & Punishment? No Laity Monies! It Is THAT Simple!

Fiat Lux & Veritas!

Albino Luciani,
MURDERED POPE,
Not Smiling, From Heaven

A client of Manly Paul L.
Posted by A client of Manly Paul L.
March 15, 2009 3:58 PM

There is no other firm in the world that can rival Manly & Stewart's knowledge, expertise, know-how and action. With a record of success in cases ranging from California and Delaware to Arizona and Alaska, Manly & Stewart has become a sought-after national expert in prosecuting individuals and institutions who abuse children and/or cover up the crimes.

In the past few years alone, Manly & Stewart represented 25 of the 87 plaintiffs who won a $100 million settlement in Orange County, a portion of the victims in the record $660 million settlement against the Los Angeles Archdiocese, many of the victims in the $150 million settlement against the Diocese of San Diego, and more than 150 Alaska Native men and women in the $50 million settlement against the Jesuit order in Alaska - cases that are still pending against the Diocese of Fairbanks. They also represent victims in Delaware, Oregon and South Dakota and have become one of the leading firms representing and understanding the important and unique cultural issues facing Native
American victims of sexual abuse.New York
445 Park Avenue
9th Floor
New York, NY 10022
Tel:212-307-3298
Newport Beach, CA 92660
949-252-9990
800-761-2220

glorybe1929
Posted by glorybe1929
March 15, 2009 4:36 PM

My friends who blog here, keep up the good work. You say it all.
Pray that St. Patrick on the 17th will rid the church of the evils behind the alters. I won't call them snakes , as they just bite and they would be insulted to be called Animals, who have and still are, committing Crimes Against Humanity[our precious children] who have been raped by them and spiritually murderded by Roman Catholic Priests.

Mike Fenske
Posted by Mike Fenske
March 15, 2009 5:17 PM

Part of the resolution of sexual abuse problem demands JUSTICE! Suppose you were permanently disabled by a drunk driver and found that driver had a long history of drunk driving which had been concealed by his employer. I think you would feel that justice entitles you to be compensated for your injuries and the loss of quality of life which you suffered ... the law would agree with you,.

The same logic applies to an individual whose entire life has been diminished by the criminal action of a cleric and the immoral, now criminal, actions of those who concealed the crime and enabled future abuse.

Cardinal Caroo Marai Martini
Posted by Cardinal Caroo Marai Martini
March 15, 2009 5:48 PM

Readers may be interest in my observational commentary in the UK's THE TABLET, 14 June 2008.

Saluti e pace,

Carlo Cardinale Maria Martini
Archdiocese of Milano, Italia

Jane AkreInjuryBoard Staff
Posted by Jane Akre
March 15, 2009 11:32 PM

Great post Joe!

Anyone who would criticize your motives is beyond cynical.

Thanks for making it so clear- even for them!

Diogenes of Sinope
Posted by Diogenes of Sinope
March 16, 2009 12:00 AM

Finally, I find a truthful man in Mr. Joe Saunders!

Diogenes

PS - Roger Mahony is the living embodiment of Lucifer, fallen angel, and both are evil to the core.

Zach Phelps-Roper
Posted by Zach Phelps-Roper
March 16, 2009 8:46 AM

Mr. Joe Saunders does not have to say a WORD to explain for his timely, appropriate, absolutely wonderful conduct, because, it is an established, uncontroversial fact, that:

PRIESTS RAPE CHILDREN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

EVERY PERSON SHOULD BE AGAINST THE CATHOLIC PEDOPHILE MACHINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The very fact that the Catholics walk through the doors of ANY Catholic church building is absolutely astonishing, having so much light on this matter; not to mention that every time they give even a dime to that spiritual (and literal) whorehouse, they are paying the salary of FILTHY, RAPING PRIESTS!!! And as members of the largest false religious system in the world, they love to have it so!! They love those false doctrines that the priests teach them; they love to bow down and kiss the pope's ring. All of the commandments of men are easier to follow than even ONE of Jesus Christ's, and GOD's, Doctrines, Laws, Judgments.

Mark 7:60 He [the LORD Jesus Christ] answered and said unto them [the scribes and Pharisees, self-righteous hypocrites, all], Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.
9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.

For more info, check out More ...

Dean Tong
Posted by Dean Tong
March 16, 2009 10:06 AM

More ...


Dean Tong, MSc.
abuse-excuse.com

Comments for this article are closed.

Subscribe to InjuryBoard Tampa Bay

InjuryBoard Tampa Bay RSS Feeds

Keep up with the latest updates using your favorite RSS reader

Injury Board Tampa Bay is brought to you by Alley, Clark & Greiwe and Saunders and Walker

Legal Assistance Center

More Info
Alley, Clark & Greiwe (866) 735-1102 Ext 450 www.tampatriallawyers.com
google
  • C. Todd Alley
    C. Todd Alley
    (866) 735-1102 Ext 450
  • Jim Clark
    Jim Clark
    (866) 735-1102 Ext 451 Email Jim
  • Don Greiwe
    Don Greiwe
    (866) 735-1102 Ext 452 Email Don
Personal Injury Lawyers Serving: Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Largo, Palm Harbor, Pinellas Park, Tarpon Springs, Brandon, Brooksville, New Port Richey, Bradenton, Sarasota and all surrounding areas
701 E. Washington Street, Tampa, Florida 33602 [ Show Map ]
Saunders and Walker (866) 735-1102 Ext 340 www.saunderslawyers.com
google
Personal Injury Lawyers Serving: St. Petersburg, Tampa, Sarasota, Bradenton, Manatee, Largo, Palm Harbor, Pinellas Park, Tarpon Springs, Clearwater, Palmetto, Ellenton, Lakewood Ranch, Cortez, Anna Maria, Holmes Beach, Longboat Key
3491 Gandy BlvdSuite 200, Pinellas Park, Florida 33781 [ Show Map ]1001 3rd Ave W, Bradenton, Florida 34205 [ Show Map ]
Better Business Bureau Accredited Business Confidential

Your question will be referred to an attorney near you. If your question is of a legal nature, then by submitting this form you agree you are not forming a formal attorney / client relationship. Read our full privacy policy.

Looking for an InjuryBoard attorney closer to home? Click here.

Subscribe to Blog Updates

Enter your email address if you would like to receive email notifications when comments are made on this post.

Email address