Advocate Fears for Safety, Welfare of Victims after Court Blocks Release of Clergy Sex Abuse Report

By Ivey DeJesus
Penn Live
June 20, 2018

https://www.pennlive.com/news/2018/06/advocate_fears_for_safety_and.html

Mark.jpg Rep. Mark Rozzi, D-Berks, on Wednesday expressed concern for the welfare of victims after a state high court blocked the release of a report that would have exposed predatory priests. Joe Hermitt | jhermitt@pennlive.com(Joe Hermitt | jhermitt@pennlive.)

Rep. Mark Rozzi on Wednesday expressed concern for the safety and welfare of victims after a state high court blocked the release of a report that would have exposed predators across six Catholic dioceses in Pennsylvania.

Rozzi, who himself at 13 was sexually molested by his priest, said he was deeply troubled that victims would be devastated by the news and act out that desperation.

"We must make sure they are protected and that they are not going to hurt themselves," said Rozzi, who minutes after news broke about the court order received text messages and phone calls from victims. "I want them to know this fight is not over by any means and I will use every resource available to continue to fight to seek justice."

Rozzi, who has led a legislative fight to reform state child sex crime laws, has lost two childhood friends to suicide, both of whom were also sexually molested by their priest.

"Victims are hanging on by threads," he said. "The mental and physical pain that is brought back up by having to testify, but you get past that..you get your story out...and then to have that report blocked from possibly ever being seen, it absolutely concerns me. Shame on the church and shame on anybody who is trying to stop this report from coming out."

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court on Wednesday held up the release of the findings of the 18-month-long grand jury investigation into allegations of child sexual abuse across six Roman Catholic dioceses. Attorney General Josh Shapiro had indicated he would release the findings at the end of the month.

The two-paragraph order did not provide explanation for the order. The new order is available for public inspection. You can see it at the bottom of this story.

"It's like a punch in my gut," Rozzi said. "I just know there's going to be a lot of hurting victims who will feel re-victimized more than ever before knowing the church had said it would support the report and wouldn't block it and now their high-priced lawyers have done the dirty work and again silenced the victims one more time."

The court order prohibits Judge Norman A. Krumenacker III and the Office of the Attorney General from releasing the report. Krumenacker, a judge on the Cambria County Court of Common Pleas, earlier this month denied a request from individuals named but not indicted in the grand jury findings.

"My legal team and I will continue fighting tirelessly to make sure the victims of this abuse are able to tell their stories and the findings of this investigation are made public to the people of Pennsylvania," Attorney General Josh Shapiro said immediately after the order was posted.

Rozzi, who is pushing for expanded reform to the state child sex crime laws, implored church officials and bishops to support his legislative proposals.

"We have a duty to protect victims," he said. "Today we have not been protected. Today the criminals have been protected..that is very disturbing."

Mike Barley, a spokesman for the Diocese of Harrisburg, on Wednesday said the diocese and Bishop Ronald Gainer have fully cooperated with the Office of the Attorney General.

"The Diocese and Bishop Gainer strongly support the release of the Grand Jury report and have not filed anything to cause the stay ordered today. However, as we have stated before, it is critical that this Report is accurate," Barley said in a written statement to PennLive.