HARRISBURG (PA)
Patroit News
August 16, 2019
By Ivey DeJesus
A peculiar setting is shaping up in Pennsylvania that could pave the way for scores of people who were sexually abused as children to face their abuser in court even though their legal right has run out.
This week the state Superior Court denied a Catholic dioceses its petition seeking to have the court reverse a decision that allows a woman who was sexually abused by a priest more than 40 years ago the right to bring the alleged predator to court, even though the statute of limitations has long expired for her.
That decision comes ahead of what is expected to be a rancorous debate in the Legislature over several measures that would overhaul the statute of limitations.
Put in simple terms: Even if lawmakers fail to enact reforms (something it has done several times in recent years) victims locked out of the legal system could still have a pathway to justice under the Superior Court’s ruling.
“For the first time in a long time, we have an overwhelming sense of hope,” said Shaun Dougherty, who was sexually abused as a child by his priest in the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown.
“We’ve had the door shut in our faces so many times, we’ve had the court door, the Senate door shut in our faces but we’ve been persistent. We never went away. It looks like the court door just opened up for us and it looks like the Senate door could be cracking.”
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.