What:
At a sidewalk news conference, clergy molestation victims will vehemently blast Miami Catholic officials for recent their ‘hardball’ legal efforts to blame a young victim of a serial predator for his own victimization. They will also try to hand-deliver a letter to Miami’s archbishop urging him to withdraw his ‘mean-spirited’ legal motion and pledge to never resort to such victim-bashing again
When:
Today, Thursday, February 9, 1:15 p.m.
Where:
Outside and just south of the Miami Catholic archdiocese headquarters, 9401 Biscayne Blvd, 305-757-6241
Who:
Two-three men and women who were sexually abused by Catholic priests, including the southeast regional director of a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org)
Why:
In court documents filed two weeks ago, Miami Catholic officials make two unusual and vicious claims:
- that a ten year old victim of a known serial predator was hurt by “his own negligence,” and
- that another victim of the same cleric is guilty of “fraudulent concealment,” for not reporting his abuse sooner.
Such legal hardball tactics are becoming more common, SNAP asserts, because of lessened media attention to the abuse crisis and because bishops are fighting harder than ever to intimidate victims into silence and prevent them from disclosing cover ups in court.
Beginning in 1995-96, when the victim was a nine year old boy, Father Neil Doherty encouraged the victim to experiment with drugs and alcohol. When the boy passed out, Father Doherty anally raped him. The sodomy and oral sex continued for roughly four years.
Miami church officials received multiple credible allegations of sexual abuse against Doherty dating back to the 1970s. In 1992, the Archdiocese confidentially settled a civil child molestation case involving Doherty. Still, Doherty remained pastor of St. Vincent’s parish in Margate in 1995-96, when he met and began abusing this young victim.
The teenager/young man and his family are represented by Miami attorney Jeffrey Herman.
http://www.sheriff.org/about_bso/admin/media/newsdetails.cfm?pk=1688&sType=M
Contact:
Ann Brentwood of Knoxville TN, SNAP Southeast Regional Director 865 607 6119
David Clohessy of St. Louis MO, SNAP National Director 314 566 9790 |
