MINNESOTA
KFGO
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Minnesota prosecutors have taken legal action against the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, accusing church leaders of failing to protect children from an abusive priest. The case includes criminal charges as well as a civil petition that asks the court to order the archdiocese to restrain from its alleged behavior.
Some questions and answers about the case:
CRIMINAL VS. CIVIL: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE? The criminal charges and civil petition both stem from church leaders’ alleged failure to protect children from Curtis Wehmeyer, a former priest who remained in ministry for years despite signs that he was a risk. Wehmeyer was ultimately convicted of molesting two boys and faces prosecution in Wisconsin for molesting a third.
The criminal case charges the archdiocese with six gross misdemeanor counts. The archdiocese could face a maximum of $18,000 in fines if convicted.
While the criminal charges hold the archdiocese accountable for past crimes, the civil petition seeks “legal remedies to prevent the archdiocese from allowing this behavior to ever happen again,” Ramsey County Attorney John Choi said earlier this month. It seeks no monetary damages. In the petition, prosecutors are asking the court to restrain the archdiocese from repeating the behavior, require it to correct and eliminate conditions that allowed the cover-up and order any other remedies the court deems appropriate.
Bishop Andrew Cozzens said on June 5 that the archdiocese will cooperate with prosecutors.
“We all share the same goal: To provide safe environments for all children in our churches and in our communities,” he said.
WOULD COURTS HAVE OVERSIGHT OF THE CHURCH?
Under church law, the bishop has ultimate supervision of his priests and priests take vows to obey. If the state intrudes on that relationship, the church can claim it infringes on religious liberty, said Charles Reid Jr., a professor of canon law at St. Thomas University.
Reid said Ramsey County’s civil petition is carefully worded to avoid that. He said the document seeks assurances that the archdiocese is doing what it promised to do and following its own charters to protect children.
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