MISSOURI
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
For immediate release: Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2014
For more information: David Clohessy ( 314 566 9790, SNAPclohessy@aol.com ), Barbara Dorris ( 314 862 7688 home, 314 503 0003 cell, SNAPdorris@gmail.com )
Victims blast justices for not taking abuse case
Missouri’s highest court refuses to hear appeal
Employers of child molesters “get off the hook,” SNAP says
Lower court rulings are “a horrific injustice,” group maintains
SNAP: “When priests abuse ‘off premises,’ Catholic officials exploit technicality”
For now, Missouri’s highest court will not consider overturning a lower court ruling that tossed out a clergy sex abuse case against Catholic officials because a priest’s alleged crimes did not happen on church property.
Yesterday, Missouri’s Supreme Court declined an appeal from attorneys for a Kansas City man who says he was molested by Fr. Michael Tierney, a priest who has faced several civil child sex abuse lawsuits. Last November, a western Missouri appeals court ruled that since Fr. Tierney’s purported sexual assaults happened on private property, his employer, the Kansas City Catholic diocese, can’t be held responsible for them.
“We are very sad the justices are choosing to not look at this horrific injustice,” said David Clohessy of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. “We’re also sad that KC Bishop Robert Finn has used this technicality to protect a serial predator priest and we fear other employers will be emboldened now to do likewise.”
“For years, at least two Missouri prelates have successfully exploited this legal loophole to conceal clergy sex crimes and cover ups,” said Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, SNAP’s outreach director. “Now, it’s likely they’ll continue and other defendants will follow suit, which means that fewer child sex abuse lawsuits will be filed, fewer child molesters will be exposed and fewer children will be protected.”
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