WOODLAND PARK (NJ)
North Jersey Record
February 14, 2019
By Sarah Nolan and Deena Yellin
NorthJersey.com’s Ed Forbes discusses the release of names by NJ dioceses of priests credibly accused of sexual abuse. Paul Wood Jr. and Michael V. Pettigano and Ed Forbes, North Jersey Record
The names of 188 priests and deacons who have been credibly accused of sexually abusing children over several decades were released by New Jersey Roman Catholic dioceses on Wednesday.
The public release of the names was the result of an internal review spurred by law enforcement officials launching their own investigation and “an effort to do what is right and just,” according to Cardinal Joseph Tobin, head of the Newark Archdiocese.
The Newark Archdiocese alone released 63 names, 33 of whom are now dead. Of all the accused priests, 109 are dead and 79 living.
Will the priests go to jail?
In most cases these charges are from decades ago, and the statute of limitations has expired, so it’s unlikely. While there is no longer a statute of limitations on reporting sexual abuse of a minor, in years past there were limits on how much time could elapse between when a crime was committed and when charges could be filed.
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