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St. Paul Police Urge Victims of Clergy Abuse to Come Forward

By Emily Gurnon
Pioneer Press
October 17, 2013

http://www.twincities.com/stpaul/ci_24332788/st-paul-police-urge-victims-clergy-abuse-come

Rev. Jonathan Shelley (Courtesy photo)

St. Paul police appealed Thursday to victims of sexual abuse by priests to come forward and "share your story."

Police Cmdr. Mary Nash of the department's family and sexual violence unit made the appeal at a news conference, where she said an investigation into "the priest conduct case" continues -- a reference to the case involving a former Hugo cleric.

Police on Oct. 4 reopened their investigation into whether the Rev. Jonathan Shelley, formerly of St. John the Baptist Church, kept child pornography on a desktop computer he owned in 2004. He has denied that allegation.

"Based on this investigation and previous investigations, the St. Paul police department is seeking victims of sexual abuse perpetrated by members of the Catholic Church," Nash said.

"We believe this abuse has not yet been reported to law enforcement. We could have one victim -- which is one too many; we could have 100. We don't know."

Asked whether the investigation is targeting additional priests or whether victims have recently come forward for the first time, Nash declined to comment.

"It's an open investigation," she said.

She urged victims to report abuse directly to police.

"You are stronger than you know. You rise each day with the courage to survive knowing your faith has been tested beyond belief," Nash said.

She said the police sex crimes unit will "do what we can to provide a safe place for you to share your story and to investigate your case."

Attorney Jeff Anderson of St. Paul, who has represented thousands of sex abuse victims nationwide, said the police department's appeal was unprecedented.

"It is very evident that they would not be making such a statement unless they knew people are going to the archdiocese with their reports and that the archdiocese and (its) top officials have been either ignoring them or suppressing them or concealing them," Anderson said. "They are not the place to be trusted."

He said the police statement indicates there is an investigation "that requires other survivors to break the silence and come forward to them."

In a statement, the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis echoed the police department's appeal.

"We join in solidarity with the St. Paul Police Department, and all civil authorities, in continuing to encourage anyone who suspects abuse of a minor or vulnerable adult within church ministry -- or any setting including the home or school -- to first contact law enforcement," the statement said.

The archdiocese directed the formation this week of a lay task force to examine its policies and procedures regarding clergy misconduct.

Earlier this year, police began investigating Shelley after receiving a tip from an archdiocese whistleblower. They closed the investigation Sept. 29 after finding no child porn on computer discs provided by archdiocese officials.

Several days later, however, the case was reopened when police received another copy of computer data from a Hugo man whose father had received Shelley's used computer in 2004.

Shelley, 52, admitted to having adult pornography on his computer but not images of children

The police appeal to sexual abuse victims Thursday comes amid a recent swirl of allegations involving local priests.

On Monday, the Rev. Michael Keating, a priest and religion professor at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, was sued by a woman in her late 20s who alleges he sexually molested her when she was 13.

In 2006, the Chisago County attorney's office investigated the allegations and determined there was insufficient evidence to file charges against Keating.

Last weekend, Keating, 57, went on leave from the university.

Meanwhile, Maplewood police are investigating a woman's allegations that she engaged in a sexual relationship with a priest after she sought his religious guidance. Such a relationship violates state law.

The priest, the Rev. Mark Huberty, 43, of Church of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, has not been charged.

Police urged sex abuse victims to contact them at 651-291-1111.

Emily Gurnon can be reached at 651-228-5522. Follow her at twitter.com/emilygurnon.

Contact: egurnon@pioneerpress.com

 

 

 

 

 




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