RHODE ISLAND
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
Posted by David Clohessy on April 11, 2012
Two child sex abuse lawsuits against the Providence Catholic diocese are still moving forward despite a judge’s decision in favor of the defendants. The cases involve alleged child sex crimes by Fr. Brendan Smyth and alleged recklessness by the Providence diocese. In the 1960s, Smyth worked at Our Lady of Mercy parish in East Greenwich RI.
Though they are taking legal action decades after they were allegedly hurt, the victims argued that the statute of limitations should be suspended because they repressed their memories of the abuse and because Catholic officials “fraudulently concealed” their knowledge of Smyth’s crimes.
Last week, Judge Netti Vogel ruled against the fraud claim. The repressed memory argument will be heard later.
“We think it’s reprehensible when Catholic bishops, who purport to be caring shepherds, act in court like cold-hearted CEOs,” said David Clohessy of St. Louis, SNAP’s director. “If Bishop Tobin honestly believes this once-imprisoned priest is innocent, Tobin should defend the case on its merits, not by exploiting legal technicalities.”
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