By Patrick Noaker
Child Protection News Blog
May 20, 2011
http://childprotectionnews.com/st-joseph-possesses-child-pornography-for-5-months-before-giving-to-police/
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In a case in Kansas City, Missouri, a computer technician employed by the Diocese of Kansas City – St. Joseph discovered child pornography on a computer that belonged to a Diocese priest. What is truly baffling is that instead of calling the police, the Diocese tampered with the computer by making a copy of the images found on the computer. The Diocese then returned the computer to the priest’s family. The family then destroyed the computer. Further, the Diocese kept the copies of the child pornography for five months before turning them over to the authorities. When asked why they possessed the child pornography for so long before they turned it over, the Diocese indicated that they were consulting with their lawyers.
This raises some very serious questions about the Diocese’s conduct. Did the Diocese violate state and federal child pornography laws by possessing this disc containing child pornography for five months? It appears that the Diocese did. Did the Diocese violate state and federal laws when they tampered with the computer that it knew contained child pornography? It appears that the Diocese did. If so, then the Diocese of Kansas City – St. Joseph must be criminally prosecuted as well.
On several occasions, this blog has recognized organizations and people who have been courageous in reporting child pornography when it was discovered. (Best Buy Protects Kids By Reporting Child Pornographers, Another Child Protection Hero.)
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This time, our position is the opposite. Here, the Diocese shows us what NOT to do to combat child pornography. For example, when attempting to detect and prosecute child pornographers, you should not make additional copies of the child pornography files. You should not tamper with the computer that holds the child pornography images. You should not allow the computer to be destroyed. Finally, you should not possess child pornography for five months, even if you ultimately turn the child pornography over to law enforcement.
Finally, what does this case say about the public statements by Catholic Dioceses across the country that they have reformed and they are serious about protecting kids. To put it bluntly, they do not appear to be serious about anything but improving their well-deserved, decaying and damaged public image. Cases like this reveal how dioceses are actually operating. Continuing to protect themselves and not the kids in their care.
What do you think? Leave a comment to this blog and also go to our facebook page and take the one question poll on whether the Diocese should be investigated for possessing child pornography and for tampering with evidence.
About the author: Patrick Noaker is an attorney with the law firm of Jeff Anderson & Associates who handles cases involving child sexual abuse, exploitation and pornography.
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