homos continue to molest children
Rev. Donald Spitz
now why God wrote Leviticus 20:13 If a man also lie with mankind, as
he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they
shall surely be put to death; their
blood shall be upon them.
Our children need to be protected from these sex perverts. Man coerced
student Affidavit: Ex-principal demanded sexual act
after showing gay porn By Kevin McCullen
Denver Rocky Mountain News Staff Writer
LONGMONT -- Former Skyline High School
Principal James Cook allegedly forced a student
to perform a sexual act on him after watching
homosexual pornographic videos in his home,
according to court records.
Cook, who had been Skyline's principal since
1991, resigned last month shortly after he was
arrested for investigation of sexual assault on a
child by a person in a position of trust.
The arrest of Cook, a popular administrator in
the St. Vrain Valley School District, and a
holiday accident involving three Skyline students
and one graduate prompted the district to
postpone the start of classes Monday to offer
counseling sessions for the school's 1,300
students.
Cook, 55, had befriended the victim, a male
student at the school. He allegedly coerced the
student twice last fall to perform sexual acts on
him in Cook's home, even as the student
repeatedly asked to leave, according to court
documents.
Cook also purportedly admitted to the
accusations during a telephone conversation with
a Longmont police detective Dec. 17, said an
affidavit for his arrest.
According to the affidavit, Cook told the student
to perform a sexual act on him after bringing the
student to his house to move some furniture in
September.
Cook, who'd offered the student $20 for helping,
purportedly called up photographs on his
computer of naked young men engaged in sex,
according to the affidavit.
--
Matthew 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body,
but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him
which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
http://www.ArmyOfGod.com
darwinian
Could you post me a picture of you?
How about a date, sweetie?
Love ---<---{@ darwinian
--
\ _--''--_ "I believe I have acted rightly in steadily
x_DARWIN_> following and devoting my live to science."
/ L--..- L Charles Darwin
Richard Harlos
>
> Sick sex pervert homosexuals continue to molest children.
Mr. Spitz, the fact is that children are molested by both
homosexuals and heterosexuals.
Your opening sentence, above, could therefore be modified
to read, "Sick sex perverts ... molest children." Whether
the perpetrator is hetero- or homo- sexual makes little
difference: molesting a child is molesting a child.
While crimes of this nature seem terribly cruel, I think
your message is very off-topic for alt.atheism. If you
continue to post such off-topic material, I shall be
forced to complain to your ISP about your intentional
disregard for the scope of subject matter in alt.atheism.
Thanks in advance for your consideration.
[ posted to alt.atheism and alt.bible, and e-mailed ]
--
Richard Harlos ~ alt.atheism #1698
,,, agnostic atheist freethinker
( ..)
.--oo0--(_)--0oo-----------------------------------------.
( <this space available> )
`--------------------------------------------------------'
Michael Painter
Shark attacks do because they are so rare.
There's also no big industry protecting the shark from bad publicity.
So the gay who get caught gets headlines and the priest and minister does
not. They just get transferred and the new parish/ministry does not get told
because he promised god he was better and would not do it again.
But then, if you are a real reverend you know all about that don't you
Donald?
Still lead the scout troop?
"Rev. Donald Spitz" <Jesus...@ArmyofGod.com> wrote in message
news:38776ECC...@ArmyofGod.com...
raven1
<Jesus...@ArmyofGod.com> wrote:
>Sick sex pervert homosexuals continue to molest children.
So when are you going to stop?
"When a man lies, he murders some part of the world."
- Merlin, "Excalibur"
erikc
>|Sick sex pervert homosexuals continue to molest children. Is is clear
>|now why God wrote Leviticus 20:13 If a man also lie with mankind, as
>|he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they
[blah blah blah, yammer, yammer, yammer]
Hey Spitz, can I and about 500 of my closest friends fuck your face?
--
Erikc (alt.atheist #002) | "An Fhirinne in aghaidh an tSaoil."
BAAWA Knight | "The Truth against the World."
ICQ 26776011 | -- Bardic Motto
If we don't believe in freedom of expression for
people we despise, we don't believe in it at all.
---- Noam Chomsky
Christianity summarised: "Kiss god's ass or he will burn yours"...
Remove "21" to respond.
erikc
raven1 <psyched...@erols.com> wrote:
-- origin: alt.atheism:
>|On Sat, 08 Jan 2000 16:05:29 GMT, "Rev. Donald Spitz"
>|<Jesus...@ArmyofGod.com> wrote:
>|
>|>Sick sex pervert homosexuals continue to molest children.
>|
>|So when are you going to stop?
When they lock him up and weld the cell door shut.
Todd Adamson
> I diddle my daughter before each and every post.
WHOA!!! Were'd that come from, Spitty?
--
Christianity have great bondage art form past
before. I think Christ is king of masochist.
- Masami Akita (aka Merzbow)
yang hu
crimes.
ALABAMA
Minister Ran Baldness Cure Scam
Mobile church pastor Arthur Mallard, 63, was found guilty by a federal
grand jury of 208 charges including bankruptcy fraud,
money laundering, mail fraud, and tax evasion.
Mallard continues to sell "Baby Don't Be Bald" cream treatment that he
claims is a cure for baldness.
According to federal prosecutors, Mallard's "blue-goo" is a useless
cream with a petroleum base that has added fragrances and
various dyes, such as house paint, for coloring.
Mallard earned more than $193,000 from Jan. '94-June '95 by selling
his baldness cure cream and other shampoos and
ointments in beauty supply stores in Houston, Mobile, Tampa, some
cities in the Carolinas and various other locations,
according to the prosecutions indictment. His product's were not
approved by the Food and Drug Administration, as required
by law. Source: The Birmingham News 11/3/95
Pastor Arrested For Firing Gun Into House
Associate minister Lamond Travis Miller, 57, was arrested for firing 5
shots into the house occupied by 4 adults and 3 children.
The pastor of the Cedar Grove Missionary Church was charged with
shooting into an occupied dwelling, attempting to elude,
reckless driving and reckless endangerment.
Miller was arrested on a drunken driving charge the previous day and
released that morning. Source: Birmingham
Post-Herald 12/7/95
CALIFORNIA
More Charges After Suit Settled
A $830,000 settlement was reached in a lawsuit filed by 9 men who say
they were molested by Rev. Gary Timmons. The suit
states Timmons sexually assaulted the males between 1971-78 and that
the Diocese of Santa Rosa was negligent.
Timmons was arrested after accusations appeared in a Santa Rosa
newspaper from 2 men who say he molested them in the
rectory at St. Eugene's and when they were teenagers staying at a
Catholic summer camp founded by Timmons. Additional
accusations were prompted by the article and the civil suit was filed
in May '94.
Timmons was released from pastoral duties at St. Bernard's in Eureka
and placed in a church-sponsored treatment program for
pedophiles in Jemez Springs, N.M. Last September he was sent to the
Institute for Spiritual Leadership in Chicago. The priest
waived extradition proceedings after his Oct. 31 arrest and agreed to
return to the west coast.
In a handwritten diary Timmons stated, "I am a child molester."
In a civil suit, settled in August, 2 men charged a monsignor, Timmons
and another priest with sexual abuse. The victims
received a $500,000 settlement, but prosecutors were unable to pursue
criminal charges against him until others came forward
with more recent allegations.
Timmons still faces 13 criminal counts of oral copulation and lewd and
lascivious conduct involving 4 boys. An additional case
involving 3 more victims is pending.
Timmons was freed on a $250,000 property bond. Eleven of the 13 felony
counts against him may be invalid because the
statute of limitation has expired.
A new California law exempts child molestation cases from the 6 year
limit. Timmons has filed a demurrer, which essentially
says that the charges are unconstitutional because they came too late.
Sources: San Francisco Examiner 12/17/95; San
Francisco Chronicle 11/2/95, 11/1/95, 8/10/95; Chicago Sun-Times
12/18/95, 11/2/95; San Jose Mercury News Service
12/16/95, 11/10/95, 11/3/95, 11/1/95
Youth Minister Extradited
An El Cajon youth minister was extradited from Kentucky for 15 charges
of committing lewd acts on a child in California.
Trevor Scott Hanes, 28, headed youth activities at the First United
Methodist Church for 6 years before resigning and
accepting a part-time position as youth minister with the Second
Presbyterian Church in Lexington.
Allegations surfaced in November when the boy's parents went to
authorities. The teenager said the incidents began when he
was 12 and occurred in the church and other places, including a street
corner in El Cajon and once in Kentucky when he and 2
older boys traveled to visit Hanes.
Hanes was placed on administrative leave from Second Presbyterian
until the investigation concludes.
Parishioners said the youth minister was well-organized, communicated
effectively and related extremely well young people.
Source: Lexington Herald-Leader 12/7/95
Diocese Failed To Take Action
Civil suits against Father Oliver Francis O'Grady and the Diocese of
Stockton have been filed by 2 men who said they were
sexually molested as boys.
The suits allege that Cardinal Roger M. Mahoney knew, before and
during his leadership of the Roman Catholic diocese, that
O'Grady had a prior sex offense in 1976. The suits state that Mahoney
and the church failed to take reasonable steps to end
the abuse.
One plaintiff, now 25, said O'Grady molested him at Sacred Heart
Church in Turlock from 1978-81.
The other plaintiff, now 17, said that he was molested between
December '84 and July '91 while O'Grady was pastor of St.
Andrew's Church in San Andreas.
The suit filed by the younger plaintiff states that Mahoney ordered
O'Grady to undergo a psychological evaluation after he
admitted fondling the sleeping boy, 9. An investigation was launched
as a result of the evaluation.
The priest is serving a 14-year sentence for criminal charges of
molestation. In '93 he pleaded guilty to 4 felony counts of lewd
and lascivious acts with 2 children. Source: The Los Angeles Times
7/22/95
Priest & Teen Had Sexual Relationship
The Word of Life Assembly of God church of West Sacramento, 2
ministers and the Assemblies of God Northern California
and Nevada District Council Inc. are being sued by the parents of a
teenage girl who was involved in a sexual relationship with
a minister.
Donald Wisdom pleaded no contest to 11 counts of sex with a minor and
was sentenced to 1 year in jail. Wisdom reportedly
induced the girl, then 15, into a sexual relationship from October '94
until July '95.
The civil suit claims that church officials knew about the
relationship, refused to remove the minister, and attempted to silence
the family. The suit seeks $10 million in punitive damages plus
general and specific damages for battery, sexual battery, sexual
harassment, negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, intentional
infliction of emotional distress, defamation, slander and invasion of
privacy. Source: The Sacramento Bee 12/27/95
Promiscuous Priest Surrendered
Roman Catholic priest Theodore Llanos, 49, surrendered to police 2
weeks after a warrant was issued for his arrest on 38
counts of child molestation.
Llanos, who served at St. Barnabas and St. Lucy's Catholic churches,
allegedly molested 5 boys, ages 11-14, between
1973-90. Fourteen additional victims may testify to corroborate the
charges. The additional victims' accusations were not
included in the case because a new law states the statute of
limitation can only be extended to those of "substantial sexual
conduct" and who were minors when they were victimized.
Llanos was released on his own recognizance and on the condition that
he not be alone with minors. Arraignment has been
postponed until Feb. 5 when a judge will decide if the statute of
limitation has run out. Most of the reported incidents occurred
in '90.
"(He) was aggressive and forced himself on children like me," said
Lawrence Loock, now 35, a former altar boy at St.
Bernard's church and school in Los Angeles. Loock said he was 13 when
Llanos molested him. Sources: The Los Angeles
Times 11/30/95; San Jose Mercury News Search 11/29/95, 11/15/95,
11/14/95
Rev./U.S. Rep. Convicted Of Extortion, Tax Evasion
U.S. Rep. Rev. Walter Tucker III, 38, was convicted on 7 counts of
extortion and 2 counts of tax evasion for accepting and
demanding bribes as mayor of Compton in 1991-92.
Tucker was elected to Congress in '92 in the 37th congressional
district. Charges stem from accusations that he sold his vote
on a proposed $250 million energy project.
A federal jury found Tucker, an ordained minister and former Los
Angeles county prosecutor, guilty on 9 counts but could not
reach a verdict on the 3 other counts of extortion. He faces up to 20
years on each count of extortion and 3 years for each
count of tax evasion, and expulsion from Congress.
After the jury's conviction Tucker said, while clutching a bible,
"Maybe I'll start a prison ministry--there's a lot of people in there
who need to be saved." Source: Sentinel (Santa Cruz) 12/9/95; San Jose
Mercury News 12/9/95
FLORIDA
Pastor Refused To Let Teen Leave
Jacksonville pastor Charles Riggleman was charged with attempted false
imprisonment and battery, and accused of touching a
woman, 19, against her will after he tried to stop her from leaving an
anti-abortion haunted house display at The Door Christian
Fellowship Church on Halloween.
The cleric said the church will have the display again next year.
Source: The Times-Union 1/3/96
Allegations Resurface After 25 Years
In 1967 Kevin Sidaway and 4 other boys told parents that Rev. Rocco
Charles D'Angelo had sexually assaulted them.
Church leaders met with the altar boys and their parents to assure
them the priest would be sent away and would never work in
another church with children again.
For the next 25 years Sidaway believed the priest had been banned from
pastoral duties, but D'Angelo continued working in
parishes throughout Florida, including 2 assignments as head of
Tampa-area churches.
Sidaway, now 39, learned that D'Angelo had merely been transferred
from St. Mark's Catholic church. He went to lawyers
about his ordeal but was told that too much time had passed and
although it was a felony to assault girls in 1967, the law did
not mention boys.
Sidaway said D'Angelo would invite altar boys to travel with him to
New York every summer. He said he was frequently
assaulted in 1967 when he and a friend went with D'Angelo.
"I started thinking, 'What if this is something altar boys go through?
What if this is an initiation?'" Sidaway recalled. Source: San
Jose Mercury News Service 1/10/96
Man Claimed To Be A Pastor
Salesman Harold Ragin was charged with sexual battery on a child in
familial or custodial authority.
According to reports, a teacher contacted authorities after a girl
told her of a Nov. 24 incident in which Ragin, 47, assaulted
her.
Ragin told police he was an associate pastor of Life Tabernacle
Ministries and that he and his wife were watching the girl, 13,
while her mother was at work.
He blamed the girl for the incident, but admitted penetrating her with
his finger.
Rev. Johnnie Manning of Life Tabernacle Ministries said Ragin is a
member of the church but not an associate pastor as he
claimed to be. Bail was set at $10,000. Source: The Daily Commercial
12/1/95; 11/30/95
Diocese Shield Outrages Citizen
In a letter to the editor of The Orlando Sentinel a woman from Orlando
condemned a recent ruling that shields the local
Catholic diocese from negligence in molestation suits.
The ruling "gives child rape constitutionally protected status, as
long as it is done by a priest."
The woman cited 3 articles in The Sentinel which showed tolerance to
terrorism. "Three levels of terrorism are tolerated, all
because of fear and cowardice," the woman wrote. "The Unabomber holds
a nation hostage; extreme right-to-life fanatics hold
the city at bay; and a powerful church intimidates a judge into a
looney-tunes decision." Source: The Orlando Sentinel
10/1/95
Day Care Owner Accused Of Fondling
The In His Steps Christian Academy school and day care center in Ocala
was closed after owner Gregory Alan Hoenig, 44,
was charged with fondling a teenager.
Hoenig pleaded not guilty to 6 counts of lewd and lascivious acts on a
teen, 13, for an alleged incident at his home during a
church youth group pool party in July. Source: The Star-Banner
12/28/95
Sexuality Counselor/Teacher Charged
Unitarian Universalist church vice president David Reed Whitehead, 32,
was charged with lewd and lascivious assault.
According to allegations made to police, the youth counselor engaged
in sexual activity at least 3 times with a boy, 15. The last
incident was said to have occurred Dec. 3 when the teen stayed
overnight at Whitehead's home.
Whitehead taught a sexuality course for teenagers. Source: The Miami
Herald; Chicago Sun-Times 12/13/95
ILLINOIS
Priests Banned For Sexual Misconduct
Roman Catholic priest Rev. Louis Peterson resigned as pastor of St.
Teresa Church due to accusations that he sexually abused
a boy, 12. Peterson was on administrative leave since charges were
filed 2 years ago.
State Attorney Bob Haida said there was insufficient evidence to
prosecute Peterson. The priest resigned before the Belleville
Diocese's Fitness Review Board released its recommendations of action
against Peterson and another priest linked to another
sexual scandal.
Rev. Raymond Kownacki has been sued by a Michigan woman who claims the
priest raped her and attempted to abort her
fetus more than 20 years ago.
Eight priests and a deacon have been permanently removed from their
parishes in the diocese for sexual misconduct allegations
involving minors since March '93. Sources: The Chicago Sun-Times
11/24/95; The News-Sun 11/25-26/95; The Journal
Star 11/25/95
Bible Teacher Had Prior Sex Offenses
Round Lake Community Church Sunday and vacation bible school teacher
Joseph Escalera, 51, was sentenced to 7 years in
prison for sexually molesting a boy, 10.
In return for a guilty plea to aggravated criminal sexual abuse, other
charges against Escalera were dismissed.
The boy and Escalera's mentally disabled roommate participated in the
church's youth group. In June and July of '94 the boy
befriended the roommate and slept over about once a week.
Police say Escalera admitted he fondled the boy and masturbated while
the boy undressed.
At the time of his arrest, Escalera was on 4 years probation for a
1988 conviction of 3 counts of aggravated criminal sexual
assault for incidents in Mount Prospect. Source: Waukegan News Sun
12/22/95
Charges Dropped After Resignation
Roman Catholic priest Rev. Gerald Hartz, 62, was charged in September
with indecent contact with a girl, 13.
Hartz reportedly touched the teen's breast at the St. Lawrence school
in Des Moines.
Charges were dropped after Hartz resigned as parish priest.Source:
Omaha World-Herald 12/28/95
LOUISIANA
Methodist Pastor Attacked Librarian. Haughton United Methodist Church
pastor Brad Yonley, 30, was charged with
attempted aggravated rape and attempted murder after attacking a
librarian, 47.
Police said Yonley attacked the librarian in the magazine room after
closing.
Yonley was suspended from all ministerial duties. The victim was
hospitalized shortly with knife wounds to her face, neck and
arms.
MARYLAND
1 Priest Acquitted, 2 Sentenced
Circuit Court Judge William B. Spellbring has sentenced 2 of 4 Roman
Catholic priests accused of molesting alter boys in the
60s and 70s.
Rev. Edward T. Hartel, Rev. Edward B. Pritchard, Rev. Thomas S.
Schaefer and Rev. Alphonsus M. Smith admitted to
misconduct when questioned by the chancellor of the Archdiocese of
Washington.
Smith, 71, and Schaefer, 69, were both sentenced to 16 years in
prison.
Hartel, 59, who was acquitted in November, was charged with 1 count of
unnatural and perverted sex. Factors such as the
victim providing only a general description, not knowing the priest's
name or what he was wearing, and giving a vague time
frame of when the incidents allegedly occurred led the judge to rule
that there was reasonable doubt if Hartel was the actual
person who committed the acts.
Pritchard, 51, is scheduled for sentencing in February. Source: The
Washington Post 12/20/95, 11/23/95
Abused All Kids In His Care
Court records show that a Williamsburg church nursery worker, who
pleaded guilty in a child molestation case, admitted to
sexually abusing many more children.
Richard W. Weaverling, 18, pleaded guilty to molesting a girl, 6, and
received a 10-year suspended sentence in a plea bargain
to have charges that he molested a boy, 2, dropped.
Weaverling admitted during court-ordered treatment that he molested
every child left in his care.
Terms of the plea agreement provide immunity for Weaverling from
further criminal prosecution in the original 2 cases, but an
investigation is being conducted concerning other children. Source:
The Washington Post 11/11/95
Permit Seeking Preacher Was Armed
Police arrested a man near the White House after they found a rifle in
his car. Melvin Doyle Glover, 63, followed a bus through
a checkpoint unaware that he was entering a restricted security zone.
Glover told court members he intended to seek a permit to preach near
the White House because he was "anointed by the
Holy Ghost."
"There's a most high God that's talking through me," he said. "You'll
feel the wrath of God in the future."
Glover was charged with 1 felony count of carrying a dangerous weapon
and ordered held without bond pending psychiatric
evaluations. Source: The Willimantic Chronicle 12/2/95
MASSACHUSETTS
Man Shot By Deacon With Crossbow
Deacon Donald Graham was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in
prison without parole for the '94 murder of a man
who flashed his high beams at him.
Graham, 56, pulled a crossbow from his trunk and shot Michael
Blodgett, 42, as he approached the deacon's car. The arrow
hit his shoulder and the expanding tip scissored the insides, causing
Blodgett to bleed to death within hours.
The crossbow was condemned by Pope Innocent II in the Middle Ages as
"deathly and hateful to god and unfit to be used
among Christians," but could still be used against Muslims and other
nonbelievers. Source: The Daily Bulletin 11/17/95
MICHIGAN
8 Women Say Pastor Molested Them
Eight women claim they were molested by Gerald E. Ney insuch places as
the pastor's home, a bakery in Metamora and in the
Liberty Baptist Church. Most of the victims told police of single
incidents that dated back to 1978.
Ney, 73, was charged with 1 count of 1st degree criminal sexual
conduct, 4 counts of 2nd degree and 1 count each of 3rd and
4th degree criminal sexual conduct, as well as a criminal misdemeanor
of allegedly being a sexually delinquent person.
An investigation began after allegations from a girl, 16, were
reported to police. Ney reportedly molested the parish member
from 1993-94. The teen said she would sleep over at the pastor's home
on Sundays and clean his house for money. She said
he would sometimes molest her when his wife left on errands. Source:
The Flint Journal
Nun Sexually Abused Teenage Student
A Boston-area woman filed a lawsuit against a nun who reportedly
molested her for 6 years.
Marya Danter-Rosenthal, 44, said Sister Gael N. Biondo began molesting
her when she was 14 and continued to abuse her
until Biondo left the order in the 70s. The woman said Biondo kissed,
fondled and performed oral sex on her in the high school
and once in the school chapel after a praying session.
Danter-Rosenthal filed additional charges of negligence against the
Diocese of Detroit, Dominican High School and the Adrian
Dominican Sisters. Source: The Boston Globe 6/22/95
Victim Refused Cash Settlement
Despite financial troubles brought on by his illness from AIDS, Philip
Saviano refused to contribute to a diocese campaign to
hush the abused. Saviano refused a $15,500 settlement from the Diocese
of Worchester because it would require that he keep
quiet about the unwanted sexual advances of Father David A. Holley.
The diocese denied knowing about sexual abuse during Holley's tenure
from 1962-70, although the priest is currently serving
275 years in prison for molesting children in New Mexico. Saviano said
Holley forced him to perform oral sex in the church
basement.
Prosecutors indicated that 3 other people who joined the lawsuit
against Holley have accepted the agreement. Source: The
Boston Globe 11/18/95
MINNESOTA
Appeals Court Reinstates Lawsuit
A lawsuit accusing Rev. Albert Magnuson of sexually abusing a young
parishioner more than 25 years ago has been reinstated
by the Minnesota Court of Appeals.
The 3-judge panel reversed a lower-court decision and stated it is
unclear whether the state's "delayed discovery" statute of
limitation had expired.
Magnuson is accused of sexually abusing a boy from ages 12-15. The
victim said he did not discuss the events until '91 when
his brother said he was also abused by Magnuson. He said the abuse led
him to prostitution, a mistaken belief that he was
homosexual and to prison for various felonies due to his distress.
Magnuson was the pastor of Redeemer Covenant Church in Brooklyn Park
for 25 years before resigning in 1989 when several
youths reported that he molested them. He served about 10 months in
jail after pleading guilty to a molestation case in '91.
The Minnesota Court of Appeals ordered new trials in May for 2 other
former church members who said they were molested
by Magnuson. Source: Duluth News Tribune 11/20/95
MISSOURI
Diocese Sues For Reimbursement
The Northern Insurance Co. of New York refused to reimburse the
Catholic Diocese of Jefferson City for $60,000 in damages
it paid to a woman who claimed a priest sexually abused her.
A federal court panel ruled that the company did not have to reimburse
the diocese because the policy would not cover anyone
molested while in the care of the insured priest. Source: Las Vegas
Sun 11/8/95
NEW JERSEY
Priest Named In Hit & Run
A Catholic priest reportedly ran down a barefoot Hispanic hitchhiker
and fled. A woman, 32, was struck by Monsignor
Theodore A. Opdenaker's car on I-95 just north of Trenton.
A tractor-trailer driver said he was slowing to pick the woman up but
lost sight of her after the priest's car struck her. He said
he drove over the woman, unaware that her body had landed in the path
of his rig wheels. The woman was pronounced dead
at the scene.
The driver copied the priest's license plate number and police were
waiting for Opdenaker, 78, when he returned home. He
told police he thought he had hit a deer and pulled over briefly to
examine his car.
According to a spokesman for the Division of Motor Vehicles, Openaker
was cited in '94 for running a stop sign and was
involved in an accident earlier this year but was not cited.
The priest was charged in this incident for leaving the scene of an
accident and failing to report an accident. Sources: The
Times (Trenton) 12/13/95, 12/12/95, 12/10/95, 12/9/95; Sunday Record
(California) 12/10/95
NEW YORK
Boy's Death A Mystery
Gilbert Bonneau died 42 years ago while in the care of St. Coleman's
home for Boys and Girls in Albany. The Bonneau family
was broken up after the mother was institutionalized and the father
was unemployed.
Gilbert's siblings believed he died of natural causes, as listed on
his medical records. A sloppy autopsy report mentions swelling
of the brain, pneumonia, liver degeneration and a bacterial infection
possibly caused by meningitis.
Until a woman, identified only as Marian Maynard, phoned one of the
brothers in 1978 no one questioned the death of the
welfare waif. Maynard said she had seen the boy, 8, beaten to death
with a stick by Sister Fidelia. She said she recalled the
incident after seeing the nun in Troy, NY.
Records indicate the nun, born Beatrice Dwyer, left the children's
home 3 years before the boy's death and a girl with the last
name of Maynard was at St. Coleman's at that time.
Most of those who would have known the circumstances of Gilbert's
death are dead. Every path the family has pursued in
search for the truth has led to a dead end and the presumed facts of
the case are riddled with inconsistencies.
The shoddy autopsy report states the autopsy was performed hours
before the actual time Gilbert died, according to his death
certificate.
Former residents say they have terrible memories of the place, but the
home's lawyer, Paul F. Donohue, Sr., praised the
"loving" efforts of the nuns because his profoundly retarded son lived
at St. Coleman's for 44 years. Source: New York Times
12/26/95
PENNSYLVANIA
Christian School Founder Guilty of Sexual Abuse
Keystone Christian Academy founder Roger B. Smith pleaded guilty to 3
counts of 1st degree misdemeanors including
indecent assault and sexual abuse of children.
Assistant District Attorney Robert Kochems contended that Smith
touched girls, 7 and 8, under their clothes while videotaping
them in his office in '94.
A police affidavit states that Smith made a girl "swear on God's
grave" not to tell. Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 11/25/95
Minister Sentenced For Raping Girl
Pastor of the First Church of Christ in Lock Haven attempted suicide
at a city park last June and 5 admitted in a written
confession to repeatedly raping a girl, 8, between Nov. '94-May '95.
Darran Andrew Chick, 32, pleaded guilty to 3 counts of rape, 1 count
each of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and
aggravated indecent assault. He was sentenced to 14-62 years in
prison.
Chick was originally charged with 56 counts each of rape and statutory
rape, and 20 counts each of involuntary deviate sexual
intercourse and indecent assault. Source: The Patriot-News 11/28/95
Funds Solicited For Phony Shrine
Rev. Francis G. Bolek, 35, solicited funds for more than 6 years to
supposedly buy a shrine at Holy Name of the Blessed
Virgin Mary. The Roman Catholic priest admitted that he spent $340,000
of the donations on vacations to Hawaii and New
Zealand; a home in Florida; entertainment; clothing; and gold jewelry.
Bolek pleaded guilty to 1 count of mail fraud and faces up to 5 years
in prison, a fine of $250,000 and an order to make
restitution. He is free on $50,000 bond.
Rev. Bernard Kaczmarzyk, 66, pastor of the church since 1970, pleaded
guilty to 4 counts of mail fraud. The priest spent
$495,000 of the donations on gambling, a home in Florida and a $48,000
automobile.
Kaczmarzyk set up the bogus Mary Mystical Rose Foundation for shrine
donations in 1987 along with Michelle Teff and Dr.
Joseph Teff of Middleton, WI. Michelle Teff identified herself as a
nun in the mailings to solicit money for the shrine. The letters
said the donations would be used to buy a shrine from the diocese of
Pittsburgh.
The priests were reported to federal authorities by the diocese in
March '93 after irregularities showed up at Holy Name during
a routine audit in July '92. Sources: West Hills News Record 12/3/95;
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 12/5/95, 11/10 /95,
11/11/95; Clearfield Progress 11/11/95
Church Volunteer Charged in Sex Case
A volunteer for the Lancaster Brethen in Christ Church was charged
with involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and
endangering the welfare of a child.
Andrew Lee Tonsager, 18, was arrested in November when allegations
surfaced that he performed oral sex on a boy, 4, in the
church.
Tonsager defaulted on $10,000 cash bail and has been committed to
Lancaster County Prison until a district court hearing is
scheduled Source: New Era 11/21/95
Assault Charges Dropped
A man, 20, reported Stephen David Rambler, 32, sexually assaulted him
at the minister's home on November 4.
Ramber, pastor of the Church on the Rock in Wrightsville, was arrested
3 weeks after the reported incident and released on
$5,000 bail. He was charged with 1 count of sexual assault and 1 count
of indecent assault.
Five days after charges were filed, the victim, who had known Rambler
for about 5 years, called the Lancaster County District
Attorney's office and dropped the charges.
Assistant District Attorney Randy Miller said the man was worried
about publicity and felt a lot of pressure. Source: New Era
11/30/95, 11/28/95
RHODE ISLAND
Woman Claims Priest Drugged Her
A Burrillville woman is the second to sue Monsignor Louis Ward Dunn,
74, and the Rhode Island Diocese. Mary Ryan, 34,
said Dunn sexually abused her and church officials ignored her
complaints.
Phyllis Hutnak, 44, the first to file charges, said Dunn gave her
prescription medicine and alcohol and then had intercourse with
and performed other "lewd and lascivious acts to and/or with" her
several times. The alleged incidents occurred at St. Thomas'
church in 1967.
Dunn was placed on administrative leave in March '94. Source: The
Providence Journal-Bulletin 12/8/95
Victim Creates Survivors Network
Frank Fitzpatrick helped bring down one of the country's most
notorious child molesters, and now he's the helping hand for
many victims throughout the world.
In '93 Fitzpatrick publicly named Rev. James Porter as a pedophile who
drugged and raped him. His charges led 130 others to
make similar accusations ranging from groping and pressing against
children from behind to forcing himself on top of them and
raping them. Porter, who is currently in a Massachusetts prison,
admitted assaulting up to 100 children.
The Fitzpatrick crusade led to the formation of a support network of
about 2,500 people throughout the United States and
some in Australia and South Africa.
Some victims call Survivor Connections for emotional support, but most
seek help prosecuting their abusers.
"Everybody has the same fear, shame, emotions and hurt," said
Fitzpatrick. "A lot of people call who haven't told anybody
before. They haven't told their spouse or parents yet. They want to
know that their feelings are not different from everybody
else's." Source: Boston Globe 12/17/95
SOUTH DAKOTA
Church Cleared In Molestation Case
The Rapid City Catholic Diocese was cleared in a civil suit filed by a
former altar boy who said he was molested by Rev.
William Lambert.
Robert Koenig sued Lambert and the Diocese in '92 for the alleged 17
years of sexual abuse he endured from the priest. He
sought $1.4 million in damages for the 13-14 incidents of molestation
that continued from the late 50s and ended in 1975. He
said the abuse led him to severe alcoholism and emotional problems
that hampered a healthy, happy life.
Diocese attorney Jeffrey Viken said church officials did not know the
abuse was going on.
A 7th Circuit Court jury awarded Koenig $200,000 in punitive damages
and $42,000 in actual damages and cleared the
diocese from responsibility. No criminal charges have been filed
against Lambert.
Jurors determined that the statute of limitation did not invalidate
the victim's accounts of sexual abuse because Lambert
concealed facts concerning the victim.
During testimony Lambert, who is no longer active in ministry, used
his fingers to carefully count how many other priests he told
about the sexual encounters. He remembered telling 5 priests. The
priest told prosecutors he was infatuated with Koenig and
lusted after the boy. He also graphically detailed an incident in
which he tied up Koenig and performed oral sex on and
masturbated the boy.
Koenig, now 49, burst into tears when he trecalled an incident in
which Lambert raped him at the church rectory in 1958 and
then took him home to have dinner with Koenig's parents.
"We went to dinner, and he sat at the head of the table and my father
sat at the other--and I could feel the overwhelming shame
dripping off me," Koenig said. "I wondered if anyone could tell."
Koenig said he confessed each sex act Lambert performed on him to
about 17 other priests. One priest reportedly told him
that he should stop sinning and take up stamp collecting. Source:
Rapid City Journal 12/12/95, 12/9/95, 12/8/95, 12/7/95,
12/6/95
TEXAS
Conspiracy To Harass Ministers?
Rev. David Brace was arrested along with Shannon Knox, a Houston
financial consultant, and Roy Clarkston, a San Antonio
deal maker, and charged with 3 counts of laundering money and 1 count
of conspiring to launder money.
Although Brace admitted laundering money for people he believed were
Colombian drug cartel members--and there are
prosecution witnesses' testimony and surveillance videotapes that
clearly show his actions--he contends he's a naive man of
God who was merely, and desperately, trying to refinance the $10
million debt on his Faith of Metro Church in Wichita.
The church defaulted on more than $7 million in church bonds before
Brace paid Mike Clark, owner of First Diversified
Financial Services of Houston, $750,000 to prospect new investors. The
assignment was given to Knox, 25, who introduced
Brace to Clarkston, 59, who said he knew of some foreigners who wanted
to invest $40 million in U.S. properties.
The investor's were actually undercover agents who had been tipped
that Clarkston was helping drug dealers launder money.
"I prayed. God said He put this together . . . so I feel comfortable
because of that," Brace said on video during his first meeting
with investors.
Defense attorney Ray Barrera Sr. said he would attempt to prove to
jurors that Brace's arrest was an elaborate government
conspiracy designed to harass ministers who gain too much power.
Source: The Wichita Eagle 12/24/95, 12/17/95
WASHINGTON
Couple Acquitted of Sex Charges
Robert and Connie Roberson were acquitted by jury on charges that they
were involved in a church child-sex ring in
Wenatchee.
The couple still face charges of perjury and theft in an unrelated
welfare fraud case. Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer
12/12/95; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 12/10/95
WEST VIRGINIA
Boy Raped Twice At Knifepoint
North Charleston Baptist Church youth leader Gerald Mollohan, 47, was
convicted by a jury on 2 counts of rape and received
consecutive sentences of 15-35 years for each assault.,
The teen, 16, testified that Mollohan, a 28-year postal employee,
befriended several brothers through a church youth group and
bought 1 of them gifts and took him on a trip to Disney World.
The victim said he resisted Mollohan's sexual advances several times
before the youth leader raped him at knifepoint on 2
separate nights at the leader's home in December '93. Source: The
Charleston Gazette 11/7/95
Hare Krishna Conviction Overturned
The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the '91 conviction of
a Hare Krishna leader because a trial judge allowed
"prejudice" evidence of child molesting, homosexuality and
mistreatment of women into the case.
Swami Bhaktipada, who was indicted as Keith Gordon Ham, was convicted
and sentenced to 30 years in prison for mail fraud,
3 counts of racketeering and conspiring to kill a member of his sect.
Bhaktipada, founder of the New Vrindaban community 85
miles southwest of Pittsburgh, faces a second trial for the charges.
Source: Charleston Daily Mail 11/27/95
Teacher Slapped By Gospel Singer Parent
Gospel singer James Gill was convicted in magistrate court on 1 charge
of battery of a school employee and was sentenced to
1 year in jail.
Gill admitted taking a swing at, but not making contact with, an Oak
Hill Elementary School teacher when he found out his
daughter would not be promoted to 2nd grade.
Billy Maddy testified that Gill slapped her with an open hand on May
creating a bruised left cheek and eye.
Gill, lead singer for the Eddie and the One Way Flights Gospel Heirs,
appealed to the circuit court, but the decision was
upheld. Gill was freed on $2,500 bond and faces a $500 fine for the
assault. Source: Register-Herald Reporter 12/24/95
WISCONSIN
Probation For Sexual Exploitation
Catholic priest Edward Witczak, 61, was sentenced to 1 month in jail
and ordered to perform 300 hours of community service
forr charges of sexually exploited a parishioner.
Brown County Circuit Court Judge Richard Dietz sentenced Witczak to 3
years in prison then stayed the sentence and placed
him on 3 years' probation instead.
Witczak admitted to having a 2-year relationship with the woman, now
29, who sought his help as a therapist for marital
problems and guilt over sexual abuse she she suffered at age 5. The
woman said she called off the relationship with the priest
when she realized it was ruining her marriage, which has since ended.
Witczak pleaded no contest to 4 counts of sexual contact without
consent on 4 occasions with the victim in '91 and '93.
Probation conditions require Witczak to receive counseling and have no
contact with the victim. Witczak also agreed to resign
as pastor of St. Elizabeth Seton Parish in Green Bay. Source:
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 1/3/95
BRAZIL
Evangelist Investigated For Fraud, Tax Charges
Authorities believe the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God takes
in $800 million a year, and they want to know how. It
has 300 churches in 33 countries, including the U.S. It also owns the
3rd largest TV network in Brazil, a bank, 35 radio
stations, 4 newspapers and other businesses.
Brazil's leading evangelist, Rev. Edir Macedo, is under investigation
for suspicion of evading taxes, defrauding followers and
receiving money from the Cali cocaine cartel in Columbia. No charges
have been filed.
The priest was videotaped dancing on Rio's Copacabana beach while his
pastors joked about undressing at a hotel party in
Jerusalem for the Holy Land tour. Also caught on video was Macedo and
colleagues making faces and grinning as they counted
donations and proudly displayed a $100 bill after a church
inauguration in New York. Source: Associated Press 12/26/95;
San Jose Mercury News Service 12/26/95
CANADA
Mt. Cashel Abuse Settlement
The first cash settlement in the Mount Cashel orphanage scandal has
rocked Newfoundland.
The most prominent and vocal victim, Shane Earle, is to receive an
undisclosed settlement, reported to be about $400,000, in
one lump sum from the Newfoundland government and the Congregation of
Christian Brothers, the order who ran the
institution.
Earle, who filed the civil suit in 1989, suffered 15 years of beatings
and sexual assaults after being taken from a broken home in
the 70s and placed in the orphanage.
Nine Christian Brothers have been convicted of sexually and physically
abusing boys at the orphanage. At least 30 other
lawsuits are pending.
"I look at my daughter and I see how innocent she is and I say I was
like that once, but I was abused and I was violated and I
was tormented," said Earle. "How can anybody in their right mind
violate such a precious thing?" Sources: The Globe & Mail
(Toronto) 9/19/95; Vancouver Sun 9/20/95
Archdioceses' Penance: Fund Welfare Study
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. John's in Newfoundland has
picked up the tab for a study of child welfare issues
organized by Kathleen Kufeldt.
The sign of charity comes years after allegations of abuse by the
Christian Brothers that occurred at the Mount Cashel
orphanage in the 70s. At least 30 lawsuits are slowly making their way
through court.
The Archdiocese is paying Kufeldt $1 million to cover her annual
salary and expenses. Her study plots to examine child-welfare
cases in Newfoundland and attempt to learn if economic hardships
affect ab1use rates. Source: The Vancouver Sun 11/27/95
New Sex Trial For Bishop
The Canadian Supreme Court ruled recently that Roman Catholic Bishop
Hubert Patrick O'Connor, 67, be retried on sex
charges.
In '91 he was charged with raping 2 workers at St. Joseph's school and
assaulting 2 students between 1963-67. Charges were
stayed in '92 when a judge ruled the prosecution had failed to
disclose therapist's notes on the complainants to the defense.
A new trial was ordered by the British Columbia Appeals Court in '93
and was upheld by the Supreme Court of Canada when
O'Connor appealed in '95.
The ruling contends that anyone accused of sex crimes has the right to
obtain relevant information about their accusers,
including a victim's therapy notes.
A Canadian tabloid columnist responded to the court's action by
saying, "It's bad enough that women and children are targets
of abuse by fathers, husbands, bosses and boyfriends. But for women to
be further victimized by the country's top court! It's
horrifying." Source: The Province (B.C.) 12/15/95
More Christian Brothers Charges
Additional sexual assault charges against former members of the Roman
Catholic lay order have been filed in one of the largest
Canadian sexual abuse scandals in history.
Eight men face a total of 48 criminal charges ranging from indecent
assault to buggery. According to court records, the men
worked as Christian Brothers and civilian staff at St. John's Training
School in Uxbridge, Ont., a school where boys who were
truant or delinquent were sent.
A 5-year investigation was spurred by allegations of abuse spanning
several decades resulting in 99 charges against 2 members,
9 former members of the religious order, Brothers of the Christian
Schools, and 2 civilians.
Six former Christian brothers and staff have been convicted and others
are awaiting trial. Source: Vancouver Sun 12/8/95
Trial For Female Pastor
Rev. Joanne Thompson-Millar, 37, a youth pastor for the Victory
Christian Centre, was charged with sexual exploitation,
sexual assault and sexual interference.
A girl, 15, said she was assaulted by Millar at the pastor's home and
at a trailer park in north-central Ontario. Source: The
Ottawa Citizen 10/7/95
Numerology Cult Sex Scandal
An investigation of Vancouver's Kabalarian community has grown into
the largest police sex-assault probe in the city's history.
Ivon Shearing, leader of the 500-member numerology cult, was charged
in December with 18 counts of sexual assault against 9
victims.
Shearing was released on $25,000 bail and ordered to have no contact
with 30 female followers he allegedly fondled and
forced into oral sex and intercourse. A preliminary hearing is set for
July.
Additional charges for assaults on 2 people are pending and an
investigation continues into allegations made by another woman.
"We have information from victims who are naming other victims who are
naming other victims," said Constable Anne Drennan.
"It has just mushroomed."
The Kabalarian community believes in numerology and many adopt new
names to improve numerical values. They are
encouraged to avoid meat, alcohol and tobacco. Source: The Province
12/18/95, 12/17/95
COLUMBIA
Priests Swindled $5 Million
Caracol radio network reported in October that Bogota's prestigious
St. Thomas Catholic University filed fraud charges against
6 priests who reportedly stole $5 million from a university bank
account.
Apparently the priests opened an account in their names instead of the
university's. Four priests have reportedly fled the
country. Source: The Orlando Sentinel 10/7/95
ENGLAND
Bishop Says Adultery Is In Our Genes
During an Edinburgh seminar Anglican Bishop Rev. Richard Holloway
said, "The church should not condemn (sexual) affairs as
sinful and wrong."
The head of the Scottish Episcopal Church also reportedly said, "For
the human race to survive we must go out and sow our
seeds. God knew that when he made us. So, he has given us a built in
sex drive to go out and propagate as widely as possible.
He has given us promiscuous genes."
Reactions to Holloway's remarks had some church leaders boiling that
his comments were an outright rejection of the Seventh
Commandment ban on adultery.
He affirmed on BBC radio that adultery was a sin but men and woman
have a conflict between natural instincts and their need
for a loving relationship. Source: Boston Globe 5/18/95
IRELAND
Still Paying The Price
Dublin Archbishop Desmond Connell admitted to personally sanctioning a
loan of £27,500 in '93 to Sutton Curate Fr. Ivan
Payne to compensate a former altar boy who had accused the priest of
sexual abuse.
Connell told RTE television last May that he had not compensated
anyone and accused the media of "ferreting" out stories. The
payment came to light after an RTE's "Primetime" investigation in
which information that the money loaned to the priest came
from a special church fund was aired. Source: Irish Echo 10/4-10/95
Left To The Mercy Of The Press
Almost a year after the Irish government was toppled by the sex
scandals of Father Brendan Smyth, cleric abuse accusations
have doubled and the Catholic Church is paying the price.
Smyth, who is currently serving 4 years in prison for abusing children
of both sexes for decades, recently pleaded guilty to 26
additional charges of indecent assault.
A Detroit News article stated that victims of priests in the Dublin
diocese were reported to have received sums of $77,500 and
$46,500 in October.
The Guardian reported in an October article that 2 new sexual assault
cases brought to court by former altar boys, who allege
they were assaulted in the 70s, were also compensated.
Horror stories have unfolded to the media. Alan O'Sullivan told the
Irish Times the series of alleged abuses he received from
Father Patrick Hughes. The newspaper dedicated nearly a page
O'Sullivan's allegations that he was abused so badly that on
one occasion the priest sodomized him and proceeded to choke him until
he blacked out. He also stated that Hughes forced
him at ages 9-11 to pose for pornographic photos.
"The terrifying thing was that I had told everyone and nothing had
happened, and here he is again," said O'Sullivan when
recalling seeing the priest years later. Hughes paid £50,000 in
compensation to O'Sullivan with no assistance from the Dublin
diocese.
Between 30-40 priests and monks on both sides of the Irish border have
been investigated or have appeared in court over the
last 3 years.
Even after psychiatric evaluations some priests are being returned to
their ministerial duties. In the United States an estimated
$650 million in compensation and legal fees was paid to victims by the
Catholic church for clerical abuse since the 80s. Still yet,
the faithful flock to see Pope John Paul and donate weekly to churches
with known abusers in the pulpit. Sources: Guardian
Weekly 10/22/95; The Detroit News 10/16/95
JAPAN
Leader Collected Pubic Hair Souvenir's
The Reuter's News Service reported that members of Japan's Aum Shinri
Kyo cult said their leader, Shoko Asahara, collected
pubic hair as souvenirs from each of the 30-40 female followers with
whom he had intercourse with.
Asahara reportedly put the strands in small plastic bags and placed in
bottles labeled with each woman's name.
The cult is accused of the '95 Tokyo subway gas attack. Source: News
Of The Weird 12/12/95
CALIFORNIA
Priest Kept Diary Of Molestations
During a search of Rev. Gary Timmons' Chicago apartment, Sonoma County
Sheriff's detectives found a handwritten diary and
notes describing his sexual encounters, and a letter to one of his
victims.
According to court records, one of the diary entries stated, "I am a
child molester."
Timmons was arrested Oct. 31 on charges of 17 counts of child
molestation. The priest waived extradition proceedings in
Chicago and agreed to return to the west coast. Three men claim
Timmons molested them while they were teenagers at Camp
St. Michael, a Catholic summer camp founded by Timmons, and in the
rectory of St. Eugene's Church in Santa Rosa. The
incidents allegedly occurred between 1971-78. If convicted, Timmons
faces up to 136 years in prison.
Timmons was relieved of his church duties at St. Bernard's Catholic
Church in Eureka nearly 2 years ago when the allegations
surfaced and placed in a church-sponsored treatment program for
pedophiles in Jemez Springs, N.M. Later he was sent to
work and study at Chicago's Institute for Spiritual Leadership.
A civil suit, settled in August, charged a monsignor, Timmons and
another priest with sexual abuse. The 2 victims received a
$500,000 settlement in their claims against the monsignor and the
other priest, but the case against Timmons continued.
Prosecutors were unable to pursue criminal charges against Timmons
until others came forward recently with new, more serious
allegations including lewd and lascivious acts, oral copulation, and
sodomy with children all under age 14 in California. Sources:
San Francisco Chronicle 11/2/95, 11/1/95, 8/10/95; Chicago Sun-Times
11/2/95; San Jose Mercury News Service
11/10/95, 11/3/95, 11/1/95
Police Investigation Warrants 38 Counts Of Molestation
Former Roman Catholic priest Theodore Llanos was charged with 38
counts of child molestation after a police investigation
uncovered more victims.
Llanos, who served at St. Barnabas and St. Lucy's Catholic churches,
allegedly molested 5 boys, ages 11-14, between
1973-90. The first victim, who came forward in Nov. '94, claims he was
molested by Llanos when he was a teen.
Llanos' attorney said he would file legal challenges to the charges,
saying they are unconstitutional because the statute of
limitations had expired. Source: San Jose Mercury News Service
11/15/95, 11/14/95
Women Settle Lawsuit With Church
After a $100,000 settlement with the United Methodist Church, lawsuits
filed by 2 women claiming they had been molested as
teenagers by Rev. Thomas Warmer were dropped.
Melissa Knight and Jayne Relaford Brown said they were molested by
Warmer in '68 at his Lemon Grove church. Warmer,
who is the senior minister at St. Paul's United Methodist Church in
Coronado, has maintained his innocence and will pay no
money in the settlement. Source: California State University at Long
Beach Daily 49er, 10/5/95
Minister Sentenced To 19 Years
Minister David Brimmer, 42, of the Jubilee Christian Center in San
Jose, was found guilty by jury of 14 felony counts of lewd
conduct with minors. Prosecuting attorney Raymundo Mendoza asked the
judge for the maximum sentence of 20 years and 8
months.
Brimmer was forced to resign from his position at the 6,000 member
church in San Jose when allegations surfaced that he had
molested 6 boys, ages 11-16, during sleepovers at his home from
1990-93. Brimmer has maintained his innocence since the
charges surfaced in '93.
Brimmer's former roommate, Pablo Boas, also a former youth minister at
the church, pleaded guilty to 8 counts of molestation
and faces 3 years in prison. Source: San Jose Mercury News 4/4/95
FLORIDA
Christian Academy Teacher Guilty Of Fondling Girl
Trinity Christian Academy teacher Thomas Rake, 35, pleaded guilty to 1
count of lewd and lascivious conduct for fondling a
girl, 13.
The Jacksonville junior high bible instructor agreed to have no
contact with the student and was given 3 years' probation, and is
forbidden to have any contact with children.
If Rake successfully completes his probation, adjudication will take
effect--meaning he will not have a conviction, but the
record of the charge will be open to the public.
According to Assistant State Attorney Shauna Wright, Rake and the girl
were involved in a relationship since last year.
Florida's age of consent is 16. Rake did not complete the school year
and will not return to Trinity. Source: Jacksonville
Times-Union
Margate Priest Cleared In Financial Investigation
Members of the St. Vincent Catholic Church men's Club went to police
in April alleging Rev. Neil Doherty has drawn a check
for $4,700 from the club's bank account without its board's
authorization.
The allegations capped 3 years of increasingly fractious relations
between leaders of the Men's Club and Doherty, 52, who
arrived at St. Vincent in '91. Doherty admitted withdrawing the funds,
but claimed that under church law pastors have complete
control over money raised in the church's name. Doherty eventually
repaid the amount withdrawn.
"Since he gave the money back, there's no victim," said Men's Club
President Jerry Gerrity. "It's because it's a priest. If I did it,
I'd be in jail."
Doherty was cleared of criminal wrongdoing by police and state
prosecutors.
In December Doherty evicted the club from church grounds after leaders
refused to dissolve their status as an independent
corporation. Shortly after the club was ousted, Margate police
detective Bill Creelman said he began to
receive--anonymously--copies of canceled checks from St. Vincent's
accounts and "reports" detailing Doherty's alleged
financial improprieties.
"When the money goes into the collection basket, it becomes the
bishop's, and Father Doherty can do what he wants with it,"
said Creelman. Source: Miami Herald 8/31/95
"When the money goes into the collection basket, Father Doherty can do
what he wants with it."
Religious Fanatic Brother & Sister Had 8 Children
Judge Lynn Tepper must decide the fate of 8 children, ages 1-19, born
of an incestuous marriage. In addition, Judge Tepper
must decide what to do about the felony incest charges against the
brother-sister parents.
Jailing the couple would mean foster care for all but the oldest
child. All of the children have mental and emotional problems.
Their IQs range from 52-86, with 80 being the threshold for declaring
a person learning-disabled.
The complicated case has left the children in the custody of their
mother, Deborah, 44, until a decision is made, provided she
no longer has contact with her brother, William, 64.
About 23 years ago William asked Deborah to join him to find God,
saying he was chosen to usher in an era of peace that
would begin in the year 2000 and that the Book of Leviticus instructed
him to take a mate from his own family.
In Dec. '93 officials were told that William had molested one of the
children. Blood tests confirmed they are siblings and that
their youngest daughter, 1, was their child. Incest charges were filed
in March.
William, who builds plexiglass pyramids, which he claims control
hurricanes, asteroids and the fate of humanity, said that if he is
jailed he will not be able to protect the Earth when asteroids come.
Source: Orlando Sentinel 10/2/95
Sheriff's Chaplain Charged With Sexual Assault
Volusia County Sheriff's Office Chaplain Chris Amos Hirschmann, 54,
was charged with sexually assaulting a woman he
counseled while serving as a volunteer.
The woman, 34, complained to authorities that Hirschmann assaulted her
between March 21-24, 1995. She said she was
intimidated by him and was afraid to report the incidents until
recently. The woman said she received religious counseling from
Hirschmann at his home, then approached her where she works and
sexually assaulted her while he held her arms behind her
back.
Hirschmann was a sheriff's volunteer chaplain from March 1993-August
1995. Sheriff's officials report that some deputies
mentioned they were uneasy around Hirschmann and complained that he
"spun too many tales." Others who knew him said he
often bragged about being a former CIA agent and had represented
himself as a victim's advocate for the sheriff's office.
Source: Orlando Sentinel
Church Hides Sex Abuse
In lawsuits filed against 2 former Central Florida priests, Eamon
O'Dowd and an unidentified priest, accusations were reported
that the Catholic Church knowingly concealed child abuse, shuffled
problem priests from parish to parish and failed to report
incidents to legal authorities.
Church officials contend that in the 80s society knew little about the
problems and that priests were sent for psychological
counseling. They noted that some priests were defrocked or simply, and
quietly, asked to resign from priesthood. The Catholic
Diocese of Orlando says it now takes immediate action when complaints
are lodged.
In 1986 the Orlando diocese paid a Seminole County family $250,000 in
an out-of-court settlement after arbitrators ruled that
a priest did have an affair with a parishioner and fondled her
daughter, 12.
The priest in that case was not named, but records filed with the 5th
District Court of Appeals in Daytona Beach identify him as
O'Dowd.
O'Dowd was charged in 1983 with lewd assault on a girl, 12, after she
accused him of fondling her breasts twice when he was
an assistant pastor at St. Charles Morromeo in College Park. O'Dowd,
64, is now assigned to Holy Spirit Catholic Church in
Lantant near West Palm Beach. Source: Miami Herald 2/27/95
ILLINOIS
Abusive Priest Cheered By Congregation
Hundreds of parishioners cheered and applauded Rev. John Calicott's
return to sign a new covenant with Holy Angels Church
and return as its pastor in October. Calicott is the 1st Roman
Catholic priest in Chicago to return after being suspended for
allegations of sexual abuse and admitting his sexual misconduct with
minors.
Calicott was accused of molesting 2 boys nearly 20 years ago. After he
was reinstated Calicott made a statement at mass that
he never admitted being a child molester or a pedophile, but that
"something occurred that should not have occurred."
Calicott also mentioned that doctors assured him he is not a pedophile
and poses no risk to children. He fought back tears
during his recollection of his anger and depression during his time
away from the pulpit and asked the congregation to pray that
his anger be removed.
In March '94 two men reported to the Chicago Archdiocese that Calicott
had molested them when they were teenagers in
1976 when he was an associate pastor at St. Ailbe Catholic Church in
Chicago. Calicott was placed on administrative leave in
April and sent for counseling in Maryland while a sexual misconduct
investigation was conducted.
The archdiocese has suspended more than 20 priests for sexual
misconduct and has a policy barring them from returning to a
parish ministry if they have sexually abused minors. Cardinal Joseph
Bernardin made an exception and allowed Calicott to
resume his duties because of his overwhelming popularity and
psychological evaluations that reported Calicott is not a "sexual
predator" and poses no threat to children. Protesters gathered outside
the cardinal's home the day of Calicott's return.
"The treatment of a criminal should not be based on his popularity,"
said Barbara Blaine, founder of the Survivors Network of
those Abused by Priests.
Calicott agreed to continue professional help. In a text agreement
with parishioners Calicott pledged to have a priest with him at
Holy Angels to serve as a "resident monitor." Most of the parishioners
interviewed said they approved Calicott's return.
"My observations of the father is that he is an excellent example of
Christian living," said Sister Helen, principal of Holy Angels
School. Sources: Chicago Sun-Times 10/23/95, 10/13/95; Hartford
Courant 10/16/95; San Jose Mercury News Service
10/13/95
Priest Exhibited Pornographic Materials To Teenagers
A Pickneyville minister pleaded guilty to sexually abusing 2 teenage
boys. Rev. John A. Weller, 49, is charged with 3 counts of
aggravated criminal sexual abuse and a misdemeanor charge of
exhibiting harmful or pornographic materials to a child under 18.
The victims, ages 13-17, were shown sexually explicit videotapes and
abused several times between April and July.
Weller faces up to 7 years in prison and up to $10,000 for each
conviction. The pornographic materials charge is punishable up
to 364 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Weller, who was released on $5,000 bail, was removed from pastoral
duties of the United Methodist Church after his arrest in
August. Source: The Southern Illinoisan 10/7/95
Preacher Used Scare Tactics To Victimize Boys
A popular preacher from Lawrence County was convicted of sodomy and
sexual abuse, including 9 felony counts for molesting
4 boys in his rural farmhouse.
Gallie Isaac Sr., 78, was recommended by jury to serve 25 years in
prison for his sexual crimes. The pastor of Isaac Park Free
Baptist Church was indicted in '94 on charges of molesting 8 boys from
1984-94. Four of the boys, ages 11-14 at the time of
the incidents, testified saying that he engaged in masturbation and
oral sex with them.
"He was saying stuff like, 'God's watching you, and you're doing
good,' and 'All the boys do this,' " the witness, now 18, said.
One of the victims said Isaac played a Halloween tape before having
sex with him and told him that having sex was okay.
"He began to touch me and he would whisper, 'I will protect you . . .
from the house,' " another alleged victim, now 25, told
jurors.
Formal sentencing for Isaac, father of 6 and former county clerk, is
scheduled for Dec. 14. Isaac is free on bond until
sentencing and faces a second trial on charges relating to the 4 other
alleged victims. Source: Lexington Herald-Leader
11/4/95, 10/31/95
LOUISIANA
Indicted For "Force and Arms."
Aggravated rape charges filed in June by a minor have led to the
indictment of Rev. Robert Melancon. The pastor was charged
with molesting the boy "with force and arms" between 1984-89 when he
was pastor of the Annunciata Catholic Church in
Houma.
Melancon was released on a $1 million anonymous bond after his arrest.
His arraignment was set for Oct. 16. In a separate
civil case filed June 6 the priest was accused of fondling an
Annunciata altar boy when he was 6 or 7 years old and of having
intercourse with him approximately 2 years later.
Prosecutors said the suit states that Melancon and the boy continued
to have sex at least once a week until Melancon was
transferred. During the civil court hearing on that case a police
detective interviewed another potential victim, 11, who alleges
he began having sex with Melancon when pastor of St. Genevieve Church
in Thibodaux in the 70s.
Records show Melancon was also accused of sexual harassment in a
separate case in 1993 by a parishioner of St. Genevieve.
The diocese settled with the parishioner for $30,000. Source: The
Advocate (Baton Rouge, LA) 6/17/95, 9/16/95
MARYLAND
Priest Apologizes, Gets 16 Years
The Rev. Thomas Sebastian Schaefer, 69, who served as a Roman Catholic
priest for 42 years, was sentenced to 16 years in
prison for sexually molesting altar boys over 3 decades. Schaefer
pleaded guilty to abusing 5 boys between 1966-82.
His arrest came after a 7 month investigation, prompted by a Baltimore
area man, 34, who was an altar boy at St. Matthias
Apostle Church. The man claimed that he had been abused by Schaefer
and 3 other priests when he was a child.
Schaefer was 1 of 4 priests who were arrested on sexual abuse charges
in February. The Archdiocese of Washington said all 4
admitted abuse and were dismissed from their positions.
Schaefer apologized to his victims in court and asked for forgiveness,
"I had sexual activity with these gentlemen. I abused my
position as a priest. I genuinely liked each one of them and tried to
help them in many ways," Schaefer said in a soft voice. "But
with them, my feelings weakened my self-control at times, resulting in
sexual activity with them. I didn't realize my conduct
would hurt them. I never wanted to hurt or harm them."
After Schaefer addressed the court Judge William B. Spellbring handed
down 4 consecutive 4-year prison terms for 4 counts
of child abuse. He also received a 4-year term for 1 count of sodomy
to be served concurrently with the other sentences.
Schaefer's sentence exceeded state guidelines--up to 3 years on each
count--but was less than the 20 years prosecutors
sought.
Rev. Alphonsus Smith, 70, also pleaded guilty and is set to be
sentenced Dec. 19.
Two other St. Matthias priests are charged with child abuse have trial
dates set for late November and early December. Rev.
Edward B. Pritchard, 51, is charged with molesting 3 boys at the
church and Edward T. Hartel, 59, is accused of orally
sodomizing the former St. Matthias altar boy. Both men are scheduled
for trial later this year. Source: The Washington Post
10/24/95, 8/5/95, 2/16/95, 2/9/95
MICHIGAN
Chaplain Aids Boys' Abductor
An ex-con who kidnapped 2 brothers in Benton Harbor was charged with
aggravated rape of the boys. Boyd D. Weekley, 24,
was arraigned on a federal kidnapping charge and held without bond.
The rape charge came after police interviewed the boys,
ages 11 and 3, who were found with Weekley at a New Orleans motel.
Weekley kidnapped the boys just weeks after prison chaplain Rev. Larry
Rucker raised $500 to secure his $5,000 bail for a
charge of fondling a South Dakota girl, 8, in a swimming pool. Weekley
reportedly stole Rucker's car and abducted the boys
on Oct. 14. Sources: Inland Valley Daily Bulletin (Ontario, Canada)
10/25/95; Chicago Sun-Times 10/27/95; Hartford
Courant 10/25/95; San Jose Mercury News Service 10/27/95, 10/26/95,
10/25/95, 10/24/95, 10/23/95
NEW JERSEY
Visiting Haitian Priest Molested Girl, 13
A visiting priest serving in the Trenton Diocese has been given 3
years' probation in a plea agreement for charges of attempted
aggravated criminal sexual contact, endangering the welfare of a child
and child abuse. Under the agreement, Rev. Jean-Level
Eliscard, 31, pleaded guilty to 1 count of criminal sexual contact for
molesting a girl, 13.
Charges stem from a '94 incident in which Eliscard visited the
teenager while she was at home alone. According to police, he
was allegedly molesting her when her father arrived and stopped him.
Reports say the father initially kept the incident a secret
but after Eliscard returned to the home, unannounced, several weeks
later he reported the incident to Monsignor John
Dermond, pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Church.
Police said Eliscard was arrested at John F. Kennedy International
Airport, in New York City, in November as he attempted
to flee to his native country of Haiti.
The terms of the agreement specify that Eliscard may return to Haiti
but must be supervised by the bishop of Haiti. He is
forbidden to have contact with minors in his ministry or his personal
life.
Eliscard must also undergo psychological counseling and monthly
reports must be sent to the Mercer County Probation
Department. If he returns to New Jersey he would be subjected to
sexual offender notification requirements and would have to
register with authorities.
Eliscard has also worked as a visiting priest at parishes in Brooklyn,
NY; Los Angeles, CA; and Canada. Source: The
Philadelphia Inquirer 7/8/95
Court Dismisses Abuse Suit Against Priest
A lawsuit filed by a former altar boy charging that Rev. Thomas Kohler
sexually abused him was dismissed by a New Jersey
state appeals court because the statute of limitations had expired.
The lawsuit claimed Kohler abused the boy on trips to
Wildwood, Seaside Heights and other locations, including overseas,
between 1973-78.
Kohler was arraigned and pleaded not guilty to 2 charges of allegedly
persuading a boy to pose for pornographic photographs.
The photos were taken by another priest, William O'Connell, who was
sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to
several sexual assault charges last year. Source: Courier-Post 7/25/95
NEW YORK
Impostor Priest Bilked Widow For $12,000
A man posing as a priest was arrested and charged with criminal
impersonation and grand larceny. In the past 5 years John
Fortune--an unemployed man with no religious training--performed a
baptism, heard confessions and said as many as 5
Masses in the Bronx.
Fortune, 35, sat outside the Mount Carmel Roman Catholic Church in the
summer months dressed in clerical garb. He called
himself Father Giustino Visconti and introduced himself to the pastor
of Mount Carmel as a visiting Jesuit priest and was invited
to say Mass. During Fortune's double life he told many people in the
predominantly Italian neighborhood that he taught canon
law at nearby Fordham University.
In addition, Fortune befriended a widow through a mutual friend. He
gradually became part of her family and began investing
the widow's $12,000 retirement savings, said police.
Doubts about Fortune's background arose when he stumbled and made
mistakes in the liturgy. Source: San Jose Mercury
News Service 11/17/95
"Rev. Ike" Sued For Harassment
The televangelist better known as "Reverend Ike," is being sued for
sexually harassing his former personal assistant.
Frederick Eikerenkoetter, 60, was named in the $100 million civil suit
which accuses the clergyman of "offensively touching and
caressing" his male assistant, 25, and then firing him after he
resisted the minister's advances. Source: San Francisco
Chronicle 10/10/95
OHIO
32 Priests Named In Sex Allegations
A deposition given by Roger Kriege, chancellor of the Diocese of
Covington, reports that 38 diocesan employees have been
involved in incidents of sexual abuse in the past 40 years.
The alleged abusers include 32 priests, 3 teachers, a college
president, a nun and a janitor. The priests have been accused of
molesting children, having sexual relations with adults and
masturbating in classrooms.
The deposition was filed in connection with a series of lawsuits
against Rev. Earl Bierman and the diocese. Bierman, the only
priest named in the deposition, is serving a 20-year sentence for
abusing teenage boys in the 60s and 70s.
Several alleged victims said they reported the incidents when they
happened, but Kriege claims there were no records to verify
the complaints. Source: The Cincinnati Post 11/4/95
OKLAHOMA
Baptist Minister Sentenced For Molestation
Former Tulsa County minister Steve Lamberson, 35, was sentenced to 5
years in prison for molesting a teenage parishioner.
Lamberson, pastor of the Liberty Heights Free Will Baptist Church and
academy, pleaded no contest to 2 molestation counts.
He is charged with molesting a girl, now 18, in Dec. 1991 and March
1992, when she was 13 and 14 years old. Source:
Tulsa World 5/27/95
PENNSYLVANIA
Cult Leader Guilty Of Phone Sex
Former cult leader and convicted child molester George Feigley pleaded
no contest to a charge of conspiring to have phone
sex from a prison phone with a teenage girl. Feigley, 56, received a
3-6 year term in exchange for his plea. He was charged
with conspiracy to commit involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and
will begin to serve his new sentence once he finishes terms
for escaping from prison and for molesting 3 students of his former
church in 1975. His maximum prison terms on those charges
will expire in 2002.
Feigley's wife Sandra Feigley and another cult member, Sandra Good,
were charged with conspiracy to hinder the
apprehension of Good's teenage daughter, who was the subject of the
phone calls.
Feigley's plea comes 3 years after the case started but has been
bogged down by motions filed by Feigley from the State
Correctional Institution at Huntingdon. The Feigleys were originally
charged with involuntary deviate sexual intercourse,
corruption of minors and conspiracy to commit offenses.
The girl, now 16, was being sought for assaulting a teacher when
authorities discovered her relationship to the cult.
Sandra Feigley is accused of having group sex with Good's daughter,
14, and Steven Shaffer, a work-release inmate, while
Feigely directed the encounter over the phone from the Huntingdon
state prison.
Shaffer told authorities he routinely had sex with Sandra Feigley
while her husband directed their activities over the phone. He
said he was introduced to the girl and once had sex with her and
Sandra Feigley.
During a case hearing, the girl said Shaffer raped her and that she
and Sandra Feigley never had sex and that she never had any
contact with George Feigley.
The girl's father and another cult member drowned in a storm sewer
outside the State Correctional Institution at Pittsburgh
while apparently trying to free Feigley. Source: The Patriot 9/23/95
Minister Sneaks Into Girl's Bedroom
Montgomery County YouthQuest executive director Rev. Stephen E. Aiken,
37, was charged with corruption of a minor after
forcing himself on a girl, 17, about 15 times in the course of 4
months, beginning in April 1994.
The teenager and her infant daughter moved in with Aiken, his wife and
their 3 girls after she was referred to Aiken by an
educational program for teenage mothers. The girl reported that Aiken
had come into her room while she was asleep,
undressed her and began to rub her breasts.
"Sometimes I would say, 'no,' and sometimes I would just let it go
because I didn't know what to do," the woman, now 19,
said. Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer 10/6/95, 9/24/95
Priest Had Sleep Overs
Convicted molester Earl Bierman had Covington Latin school students
sleep overnight with him at his Fort Mitchell church
quarters. The Covington Diocese has not denied the incidents occurred.
Retired Rev. Elmer Grosser testified that he saw at least 2 or 3 boys
go with Bierman upstairs at the Blessed Sacrament church
where Bierman was associate pastor in '72. Bierman said he had taken
the boys to a basketball game and it was too late to
take them home, so he let them stay the night, but Grosser didn't
believe him. However, Grosser did not report the incidents,
forbidding Bierman from taking any students to his suite.
Fort Thomas veterinarian John Secter is suing the diocese for an
undisclosed amount claiming the diocese knew about
Bierman's actions with boys as early as 1961 but did not do enough to
protect future victims.
Bierman was convicted in '93 on criminal abuse charges and is serving
a 20-year sentence at the Kentucky State Reformatory.
Secter claims Bierman rubbed his knees and thighs and once touched his
genitals in incidents beginning in '72. Bierman also
allegedly asked Secter to go to a meeting for gay priests with him.
Bierman was suspended by then-Bishop Richard Ackerman.
Source: The Cincinnati Enquirer 11/10/95
TEXAS
Priest Fined, Jailed For Contempt Of Court
Former Von Ormy priest Xavier Ortiz-Deitz, 48, was sentenced to 6
months in jail and assessed $2,000 in court and attorney's
fees for contempt of court .
Ortiz-Deitz is representing himself in a series of 7 pending civil
cases which involve allegations that he had sexual contact with
boys from Roman Catholic parishes in Von Ormy and MacDona.
An attorney of record for the plaintiffs said 57th District Court
Judge Charles A. Gonzales warned Ortiz-Deitz that he would be
held in contempt if he did not answer questions during the Oct. 25
hearing.
Ortiz-Deitz was sentenced to three 20-year sentences in '94 as part of
a "no contest" plea bargain to charges that he sometimes
abused altar boys minutes before entering the sanctuary to say Mass.
Source: Spokesman Review 8/17/94; San Antonio
News-Express 10/26/95
WASHINGTON
Clergy Couple Suspected Of Sex Ring And Welfare Fraud
Perjury and welfare fraud charges were filed in October against
Wenatchee Pentecostal Church of God minister Robert H.
Roberson and his wife, Connie L. Roberson.
The Robersons are alleged to have fraudulently obtained more than
$27,000 in welfare aid between '91-95. They are also
awaiting trial on multiple charges of rape and molestation in an
alleged sex ring.
Mr. Roberson has been charged with 8 counts of 2nd-degree perjury and
1 count of 1st-degree theft. Mrs. Roberson has been
accused of 9 counts of 2nd-degree perjury and 1 count of 1st-degree
theft. The Robersons were not jailed, but a summons to
appear in court was issued.
The charges stem from a report by Ross Carmen, a special investigator
with the Department of Social and Health Service's
Office of Special Investigations. The probable cause claims the
Robersons fraudulently received AFDC payments of $10,181,
medical payments of $4,960 and food stamps of $11,865.
Court documents allege that the Robersons used funds from the East
Wenatchee Pentecostal Church of God and the
neighboring food bank for their own personal expenses from '90-95.
Court papers show the Robersons had exclusive control
over the bank accounts and used those funds for vehicle payments,
insurance and utilities.
According to the investigative report, Connie Roberson was given
medical benefits in May 1990 while pregnant. The benefits
were changed to AFDC benefits that July and Roby Roberson was added to
the grant because he was not employed and lived
in the household. Both Robersons are accused of filing false
eligibility review forms with the state.
In addition to perjury and fraud charges, the Robersons have been
charged with 22 counts of rape and child molestation. The
Robersons each pleaded not guilty to 4 counts of 1st degree rape of a
child and 4 counts of 1st degree child molestation. So
far, 19 adults have been charged in a controversial case since January
'94 with engaging in group sex with children.
Allegations began in early '94 when a girl, 9, told her foster care
parents of abuse and orgies that was allegedly taking place at
the church. Some observers believe a police officer now in charge of
the girl has intimidated witnesses and encouraged
fabrications.
Affidavits filed in Douglas Superior Court state that parents and
children would meet in the church basement to sing and listen
to scripture. Adults would then order the children to undress and have
sex with them. Sources: Wenatchee World 7/21/95,
Newsweek 5/8/95 & Seattle Post-Intelligence 10/6/95, 4/5/95
BOLIVIA
Remote Church Leaders Allegedly Beat Boy
An 18-year-old boy has claimed he was whipped and beaten by
ultraconservative Canadian Mennonite church leaders
because he refused to adhere to colony beliefs.
The boy also alleges that, in a previous incident, he was tied over a
wood barrel and whipped for owning a tape player, which
is against the Cupesi belief forbidding recreational pursuits. Cupesi
is a remote colony in central Bolivia, near the town of Santa
Cruz. Source: The London Free Press 10/31/95
CANADA
Church Leaders Ignore Mother's Warning
Roman Catholic priest James Scoles, 64, pleaded guilty to 1 count of
sexual assault and 3 counts of indecent assault on 3 altar
boys at St. Basil's Church in Brantford and a teenager at Holy Rosary
Church in Milton. Scoles reportedly had anal intercourse
with them between '91-94. Two years prior to Scoles' arrest a
parishioner mother warned church leaders of his sexual
misconduct. Source: The London Free Press 11/1/95
Quint Sisters Say Father Sexually Abused Them
Three surviving Dionne Quintuplet sisters told a Canadian TV
interviewer their father, Oliva Dionne, molested all 5 of the sisters
when he would take them out one at a time for car rides.
The quints were made wards of the Ontario government in 1934 after
they were born. A bitter 9-year custody battle returned
the sisters to their parents, who are now deceased.
As a teenager, one of the quints confided in a Roman Catholic priest
at their private school about the abuse. She said the priest
advised her, "to continue to live with our parents and to wear a thick
coat when we went for car rides." Source: The Ann
Arbor News 9/26/95
ALABAMA
Pastor Attempts Sex With Minor
A McIntosh pastor has been indicted by a grand jury of having sexual
relations with a female minor. Rev. Floyd Wilson
Reynolds, 67, was released on a $5,000 bond after his July arrest.
Records state that Reynolds, former pastor of Magnolia Holiness
Church, stopped on the roadside when taking the girl home,
saying he had to use the restroom. He then told the girl to remove her
underwear and attempted to have sexual intercourse with
her, she reports.
Reynolds was dismissed from his post when the congregation learned of
the charge. Reynold's attorney said the minister would
plead innocent at the arraignment in Oct. Source: Birmingham
Post-Herald 9/11/95
Pastor Freed On $1 Million Bond
The pastor of Bon Secour Assembly of God, Marshall David Cumbie, 37,
has been accused of sexually abusing a teenage boy
and was arrested on similar charges with another boy.
Cumbie has been charged with 2 counts of 2nd degree sodomy and 1 count
of 2nd degree sexual assault.
Cumbie was also arrested earlier the same month on charges of 2nd
degree sodomy and 2nd degree sexual abuse and was
freed on bond. Source: Birmingham News 5/28/95
CALIFORNIA
Pastor More Than "Annoys Child."
Upland Church of Christ Pastor Alan Wilson, 35, pleaded no-contest to
1 count of misdemeanor child annoying after a
Superior Court Judge dismissed a felony charge of child molestation
against Wilson. Commissioner J. Michael Welch granted
the motion to dismiss by the defense because the incident did not
involve sexual contact. A boy, 15, reported that Wilson gave
him a massage on a bed in the pastor's home after a private singing
lesson. Wilson was arrested when he suggested performing
a sexual act on the boy during a phone conversation which was
monitored by police. Source: Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
(Ontario, CA) 4/26/95
Priest Embezzles over $200,000
St. Paul's Rev. Martin Greenlaw, 52, has been charged with 22 felony
counts of grand theft, embezzlement, money laundering
and tax evasion. An 11 month investigation showed evidence that
Greenlaw took money from the parish and the Society for the
Propagation of the Faith, a church fund-raising organization he
formerly directed. Greenlaw surrendered to police Aug. 18 and
was released on a $50,000 bond. Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal and
Las Vegas Sun 8/19/95
Church Settles Lawsuits For $100,000
Two lawsuits filed against the United Methodist Church in Lemon Grove
have been dismissed upon settlement of about
$100,000.
Melissa Knight and Jayne R. Brown came forward in '93 with claims that
Rev. Thomas Warmer molested them at the church in
1968 when they were teenagers.
Warmer, who is now senior minister at St. Paul's United Methodist
Church in Coronado, has maintained his innocence.
Source: News...@sjmercury.com 10/4/95
Two Win In Molestation Suits
Two men who claim they were molested as boys by Bay Area priests,
Monsignor Patrick O'Shea and Rev. Austin Peter
Keegan, were given more than $500,000 in an out-of-court settlement
for incidents that occurred more than a decade ago. The
2 unidentified men are among 9 individuals who have reported they were
molested by O'Shea, former pastor of San
Francisco's St. Cecelia Church, and Keegan, who served as a priest in
the San Francisco and Santa Rosa dioceses.
One man, now 28, said he was abused "on multiple occasions" between
ages 12-14 by Keegan in Santa Rosa. He will receive
$450,000 of the settlement. The other man reports he was molested by
O'Shea at Lake Berryessa when he was 12. He will
receive $51,000 and $5,000 for therapy. Civil suits were brought
against O'Shea and Keegan.
A San Francisco Municipal Court judge dismissed felony child abuse
charges against O'Shea in July because the statute of
limitations had expired. O'Shea pleaded innocent to charges that he
sexually abused 9 boys between 1960-80.
Keegan remains free in Mexico and has been stripped of his priestly
authority. Civil litigation continues against Gary Timmons
of Santa Rosa, a 3rd priest named in the civil suit. Source: San
Francisco Chronicle 8/10/95
CONNECTICUT
Second Man Accuses Priest of Rape
A 2nd victim has testified that former Roman Catholic priest, Joseph
Fredette, molested him in the 70s at a halfway house for
teens.
Fredette, 62, has been sentenced to serve 4-5 years in prison for
repeatedly sexually assaulting the former teenage resident of
the Come Alive halfway house for troubled boys. A superior court jury
convicted Fredette on 3 counts of committing an
unnatural act on Gary Melanson. The jury acquitted Fredette of
molesting a 2nd teenager. He has already served 13 months in
prison awaiting trial and has received 3 concurrent sentences.
Fredette will be eligible for parole in March '97.
Gary Melanson told the jury he was under the influence of LSD when the
priest first attacked him. He also gave emotional
testimony of how Fredette raped him as often as twice a week. Melanson
said the incidents stopped at age 20 when he
confronted Fredette while on a trip to New Hampshire.
He said he did not report the incidents because he was afraid he would
be sent to an institution with tighter security. Sources:
Hartford Courant 7/8/95; Union-News (Springfield, MA) 7/13/95
FLORIDA
Three Strikes Against Minister
Retired Lutheran minister Frederick W. Chapman, 70, has been arrested
and charged with forcible rape of a child and indecent
assault and battery on a child under 14. The abuse was reported to
have begun when the youth was 13. Chapman is accused
of repeatedly molesting the boy twice a week over the course of a
year. Allegations arose after a failed attempt by the victim to
blackmail the ex-minister, said Chapman's attorney.
Chapman faced a similar accusation in New York in '77. He was charged
with having sexual contact with a child under 17,
acting to harm a child and endangering the welfare of a child. Chapman
pleaded guilty in the case to a lesser charge of
disorderly conduct, but was not placed on probation nor did he serve
any time in jail.
At the time of the newly alleged assaults, Chapman was on probation
for molesting a girl, 8, in Milton, NY in '94. As part of a
plea bargain in that case, he was placed on probation, ordered to stay
away from children and to receive professional treatment
for sex offenders.
A woman who lives in the building across the street from Chapman said
neighbors are concerned about the charges. "It was
upsetting to people to find out he's been charged before. People in
the court system are aware of this, but people in the
neighborhood were not." Source: The Patriot Ledger 8/9/95
First Amendment Shields Diocese
In a civil lawsuit filed in Orlando, a former altar boy has accused
the chancellor of the Diocese of Orlando of sexually abusing
him when he was 13. But Orange Circuit Court Judge Rom Powell ruled
the lawsuit thrust government into religious matters
which is prohibited by church and state, and the civil court had no
jurisdiction in the dispute.
The boy states Arthur Bendixen, 44, began abusing him in '82 at St.
Mary Magdalen Church in Altamonte Springs. The suit
chronicles a 12 year relationship between Bendixen and the victim, the
son of devout Catholics. It accuses Bendixen of using
his position to formulate a "special relationship" with the teenager.
Incidents reportedly began with Bendixen massaging the
boy's neck and back and progressed into sexual acts.
The suit states that "The [man] looked upon Bendixen as a 'holy
presence,' he felt obligated to comply with his requests . . . and
was unable to either get out of the relationship or report the
relationship.
Sheldon Stevens, prosecuting attorney, said he would appeal. He
contends the church should not get such 1st Amendment
protection, charging that the church ignored warning signs that
Bendixen was a pedophile.
Prowell nixed the lawsuit in May, ruling the statue of limitations
barred consideration of any allegations before February 1991.
Bendixen allegedly introduced marijuana and alcohol and sleeping with
the teenager in his rectory bed.
The priest was also the target of allegations by 3 other people who
said he sexually abused them. However, a "resolution" was
reached in December '94.
Diocese officials said in February that Bendixen, was suspended 1 year
ago after an internal investigation, based on allegations
of sexual misconduct, was conducted. He has since been prohibited from
performing priestly duties. Source: The Orlando
Sentinel 9/20/95; 5/23/95; 2/15/95
Ex-Priest Faces 4 Additional Charges
Thomas Pagni III, 45, was charged with 2 additional counts of sexual
activity with a child in his care. He now faces a total of
10 criminal charges involving boys he met though counseling. Charges
state the assaults occurred in 1992 or earlier.
In the civil suit, Pagni was named by a family who alleges he violated
two brothers while counseling them during the late 80s
and early 90s. The suit asks for unspecfied damages and alleges the
Catholic church knew Pagni had a sexual problem with
children and still paid for his education as a youth counselor.
Pagni's defense is "that essentially no sexual activity took place,"
said his attorney, Robert Pope of St. Petersburg. Source: The
Orlando Sentinel 9/9/95; 6/10/95
Diocese Settles Suit In Exchange For Omission
Orange Circuit Court Judge Linda Gloeckner threw out a molestation
lawsuit against retired Catholic priest Lawrence P.
Redmond, 58, agreeing with defense attorney Thomas Granahan who argued
the statute of limitations had expired.
In the previous week, the Orlando Diocese announced it had reached an
out-of-court settlement with the man that removed the
diocese from the case.
The man says Redmond, pastor of Prince of Peace Catholic Church since
1987, fondled and masturbated him several times in
a St. Augustine cabin in 1980 when he was 15.
In May, a brother of the plaintiff told the media that he and his two
brothers were abused by Redmond from the late 70s to
early 80s while they were teenagers. The abuse was in St. Augustine,
Ormond Beach and at Saint Peter and Paul Catholic
Church in Goldenrod, where Redmond was pastor until 1976, he said.
The suit was the 3rd filed against Redmond and the diocese since
February. Former Chancellor Arthur Bendixen and Thomas
Pagni III were named in the prior lawsuits. Source: The Orlando
Sentinel 9/29/95, 9/25/95, 5/18/95
ILLINOIS
Priest Admits To Sexually Assaulting Minor
Roman Catholic priest Rev. Ralph Strand was sentenced to 4 years in
prison after pleading guilty to 1 count of criminal sexual
assault for engaging in sex acts with a minor. The former pastor of
St. Francis Borgia Church in Chicago began assaulting a
boy, 15, in 1990 while serving as associate pastor at St. Mary
Catholic Church in Des Plaines. The assaults continued after
Strand was appointed to Borgia. Source: Chicago Sun-Times 7/21/95
Priests, Deacon Named In Sex-Abuse Case
A suit filed by former seminary student Kevin Mohr, 32, names 7 Roman
Catholic priests and a deacon. The suit alleges he
was sexually abused in '76 as a teenager while attending the
now-closed St. Henry's Seminary in Belleville. It is the latest in the
ongoing sexual misconduct scandal in the Diocese of Belleville, where
8 priests have been dismissed after investigations.
Soliciting Priest Fined $60
Rev. Eduardo Pinzon, 64, priest at the St. Mary's of the Lake Church,
pleaded no contest to charges of soliciting sex. He has
been ordered to pay $60 in fines and to perform 40 hours of community
service. Source: Chicago Sun-Times 9/2/95
IOWA
Priest Accused Of Indecent Conduct
According to court reports, Rev. Gerald Anthony Hartz was charged with
indecent contact with a child and assault for allegedly
placing his hand on the clothing covering the breast of a St. Lawrence
School girl, 13. The complaints filed in Carroll County
Magistrate Court state Hartz, priest at St. Lawrence Church, touched
the child deliberately while talking to her. Source:
Omaha World-News 9/19/95
LOUISIANA
Will Diocese Settle This One?
Aggravated rape charges filed by a minor against Rev. Robert Melancon
has led to his arrest. The pastor of the Sacred Heart
Church since '91 had been away from his post undergoing psychiatric
treatment while an investigation concerning his previous
tenure as pastor of the Annunziata Catholic Church in Houma continues.
Records show Melancon was accused of sexual harassment in a separate
case 2 years ago by a parishioner of St. Genevieve
Catholic Church in Thibodaux, where Melancon served as a priest in the
70s. The diocese settled with the parishioner for
$30,000 in '93. Source: The Advocate (Baton Rouge, LA) 6/17/95
MARYLAND
Priests Guilty of Molesting 4 Boys
Rev. Thomas Sebastian Schaefer, 69, and Rev. Alphonsus Michael Smith,
70, pleaded guilty to child abuse after a 7 month
investigation prompted by a Baltimore area man, 34, who had been an
altar boy at St. Matthias Apostle Church.
Schaefer pleaded guilty to 4 counts of child abuse involving 4 boys.
Smith pleaded guilty to molesting the boy between
1975-78, and to molesting an altar boy at Our Lady of Sorrows Church
in Takoma Park between 1982-87. Smith also
entered Alford pleas on charges involving 2 other complainants,
meaning he acknowledged there was evidence to prove he
committed the crimes.
Allegations include fondling young boys in the rectory and forcing
them to engage in manual masturbation and oral sodomy.
Schaefer's guilty pleas also included the molestation of 3 boys
between 1978-82 at St. John the Evangelist Church in Clinton.
He has also been charged with abusing a youth from the Sacred Heart
Parish in Bushwood around 1970. Prosecutors said that
Schaefer's relationship with that boy continued after Schaefer went to
St. Matthias in '72.
Two more St. Matthias priests are charged with child abuse. Rev.
Edward B. Pritchard, 51, is charged with molesting 3 boys
at the church and Edward T. Hartel, 59, is accused of orally
sodomizing the former St. Matthias altar boy. Both men are
scheduled for trial later this year. Source: The Washington Post
8/5/95, 2/16/95, 2/9/95
Chaplain Charged With Sodomizing Mental Patient
A Catholic priest pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting a mental
patient at St. Elizabeth's Hospital. Rev. Ira V. Lott, 61, was
arrested on a sodomy charge after a 7-month investigation. The victim,
a convicted rapist, was moved to the hospital, where
Lott worked as chaplain, after he was gang-raped by inmates at the
Lorton prison complex.
Authorities say the patient, 32, met Lott during a stay at the
city-run psychiatric hospital in '92 and corresponded in writing after
the man was moved to Lorton. Lott has worked at St. Elizabeth's since
'72.
The victim reported that Lott gave him a gold wedding ring just before
Christmas along with a letter containing words
resembling marriage vows. He also told police that Lott had locked the
doors to the hospital's conference room and chapel
during visits with the man in the fall and engaged in sex. Lott
reportedly gave the patient a container supposedly filled with Lott's
semen on Dec. 23 and urged him to rub the contents on his body. The
victim turned the container, letter and ring over to police
when he reported the crimes in January.
Authorities say Lott used his leverage against the man, telling him
that he had the power to send him back to Lorton. Lott was
released on personal recognizance. Source: The Washington Post 8/12/95
Man Jailed On Internet Sex Charges
A man claiming to be an Adventist pastor was arrested in mid-August
for luring a boy, 13, to his motel room via the Internet.
Barry William Katzer, 32, is charged with a 2nd degree sex offense
involving an underage victim, possession of child
pornography and unnatural and perverted sex acts. He was held in lieu
of $50,000 bond.
Katzer was arrested after an anonymous caller asked police to check on
the welfare of a boy who was with Katzer at a motel.
Police found pornographic magazines and tapes in the room.
Katzer gave officers a business card that identified him as the pastor
of the Butler-Richland Seventh-Day Adventist Church
pastor. Adventist officials told police that Katzer was not a pastor
but was studying to become one. The Springfield, VA, youth
had corresponded with Katzer on the Internet for 4 weeks before Katzer
came to meet him. The two travelled to
Charlottesville, VA, then returned to Rockville to meet another person
who was not identified.
"He (the boy) told his mother that he was going camping with friends
and that he needed to be dropped off at this church
parking lot. The mother took him there, and he apparently just sent
his mother on her way," said Montgomery County police
spokeswoman Ann Evans. Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 8/28/95
Methodist Minister Gets 5 Months
Retired Methodist minister Harry Budd Miles, 65, was sentenced to 1
month in jail for each year he sexually abused a boy
from 1972-76.
Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge Vincent E. Ferretti Jr.
suspended consecutive sentences of 10 years each for the 2
counts of child abuse. If, after his jail sentence is served, Miles
violates the terms of his probation, he could be ordered to serve
the 20-year suspended prison sentence.
Miles, the pastor of North Bethesda United Methodist Church, began
molesting Scott Bisset when he was a Boy Scout whose
troop met at the church. Miles met Bisset, then 11, while helping with
a merit badge program.
Police report that Miles, whose preaching credentials have been
revoked, initially denied the allegations but later wrote a letter
to Bisset admitting the abuse.
In the letter to Bisset, Miles wrote that the abuse occurred during "a
dark period of my life . . . when I was struggling with my
own sexuality."
"Can you even begin to imagine the guilt, shame . . . and fear, the
emotional and physical turmoil I have suffered through for 20
years now?" Bisset said to the judge before sentencing Miles. "My
scars are permanent." Source: Washington Post 7/20/95
MASSACHUSETTS
Seminarian Arraigned On Rape Charges
A Catholic seminary student was arraigned in District court on charges
of raping a woman at a church camp run by the Diocese
of Fall River.
Alexander Delgado, 28, a 6th-year student at Holy Apostles College and
Seminary in Cromwell, Conn., is charged with raping
the woman, 26, during a walk at the Cathedral camp and Retreat Center
in Freetown.
Police said Delgado asked the woman, whom he'd met at her New Bedford
church, to walk with him after she sought him out
for counseling on a personal problem.
Delgado, who had been working at the camp for the summer, was arrested
the next day. Bail was set at $25,000 and he was
sent to Bristol County Jail after arraignment. Source: Providence
Journal (Rhode Island) 8/26/95
Episcopal Priest Defrocked
A priest accused by 17 women of sexually harassing and exploiting them
was deposed by church authorities in July.
"Defrocking" a priest is the most serious penalty a church can impose.
The Diocese of Western Massachusetts announced that James H. Clark,
69, may no longer function in any capacity as an
Episcopal priest. In a statement from the Diocese, Clark admitted to
the allegations and waived his right to a church trial.
Complainants said he would touch them inappropriately or use sexually
charged language that could be abusive or harassing.
The women also said that they had complained to the Bishop's office
about Clark's behavior before, but were not taken
seriously. Last October, 5 women complained to then-Bishop Denig that
Clark had sexually harassed them over a number of
years. A dozen women stepped forward at that time to say that they
also had similar complaints.
Clark retired as rector of Grace Episcopal Church in Amherst in '94
after 33 years. Source: Hartford Courant 7/21/95
MICHIGAN
Suspect Alleges Sexual Relations With Priest
Demetrius Robinson, a self-avowed street hustler, confessed in a
signed statement to police that he accidentally shot Rev.
Donald Michael Clark, 59, during a struggle. Prosecutors say there was
no evidence of a struggle. Clark's body was found in
his black Trans-am in an area known for prostitution. He had been shot
once in the chest.
Robinson, 18, was arrested for open murder after police received a tip
from a witness. In his written statement to police,
Robinson claims that Clark told him his name was "Mike" and first
solicited sex from him in April '95. The men continued to
met for the next few months. He wrote that he met Clark on July 31 to
call off the relationship. Robinson admitted he pulled a
gun when Clark grabbed him sexually and the gun went off during the
struggle. The young man also wrote that Clark would pay
him $100 to perform oral sex. Robinson contends that he did not know
that Clark was a priest and "told everyone that I sold
drugs to him because I didn't want anyone to know that I was letting
him perform oral sex on me. I didn't want anyone to think
I was gay."
Clark was the first African-American priest to be ordained in the
Detroit archdiocese since 1926. He was ordained in '64 and
was the pastor of St. Augustine/St. Monica Parish.
Police learned the identity of Clark when his fingerprints were
matched to those in a police file from '74. Clark had been
arrested for "accosting and soliciting" a male undercover Detroit
police officer. When police discovered the man was a priest,
the charge was dropped and the file marked void. Church officials
never knew of the arrest.
Robinson's trial was set to begin Aug. 25. Source: The Detroit News
8/13/95
MINNESOTA
Former Pastor Convicted on Sex Charges
A former evangelical pastor of the Mahtowa Covenant Church has been
convicted on 2 charges of 4th degree criminal sexual
conduct involving touching but not penetrating a teenage boy. Rev.
Kenneth Lucht, 54, had served as pastor of the Mahtowa
church since '87, but resigned amid allegations. Lucht also resigned
from a part-time teaching position at Barnum High School.
He was charged with 4 counts of criminal sexual conduct for 2
incidents reported in February.
Sexual contact was alleged to have occurred while the teen was asleep.
The first incident occurred in Lucht's home in June '93.
The boy awoke to find his pants unzipped and Lucht's hands beneath his
underwear. The second incident occurred a month
later in a cabin on Goodrich Lake. The teen said he punched the pastor
after awaking to find him touching him sexually again.
The teen was a student at the Barnum school and mowed the church's
lawn.
Reports say Lucht befriended the boy, who was from a broken home, and,
on several occasions, invited him to stay at his
home. Court documents show Lucht established a bank account for the
victim, bought him gifts and acted as a "surrogate
father." Source: Duluth News-Tribune 8/1/95
Court Backs Lawsuit Against Duluth Church
The Minnesota Court of Appeals upheld a jury's award of $644,000
against former pastor Daniel Reeb and the Redeemer
Lutheran Church of Duluth. The man filed suit in in 1994 claiming Reeb
sexually abused him when he was a teenager. The jury
affirmed that the church was negligent.
The Appeal Court said Reeb admitted engaging in mutual masturbation
with complainant David Samarzia, now 41, between
1967-69, beginning when Samarzia was 13. The court ruled that
Samarzia's claim was not too old because his problems could
not be properly treated until 1990 when he first told a
psychotherapist about the abuse.
The lawsuit was the 1st of 4 abuse cases against Reeb and the church
to go to trial. Source: Duluth News-Tribune 5/23/95
Sex Abuse Suit Against Capuchin Preists Rejected By Jury
A U.S. District Court jury ruled a lawsuit filed by Paul Isely, 34,
baseless because he did not file it before the statue of
limitations expired.
Isely testified of being sexually abused by 3 Capuchin priests while
living with members of the Catholic order in Detroit in 1978.
Isely became ill and was bedridden for 3 days.
He testified that, during that time, an older student and Rev. Jim
Wolf, who was then the pastor of Detroit St. John Evangelist
Church, sexually abused him in his bed. Isely claims Wolf fondled and
performed fellatio on him. The lawsuit also claims Jim
Buser and Gale Leifeld abused him during the 70s, from age 13-17 when
he attended St. Lawrence Seminary in Fond du Lac,
Wis.
The suit is the 1st of 10 civil lawsuits in Michigan and Wisconsin
that have been filed. The Capuchins have admitted there was
abuse, but not against Isely.
Isely told jurors that Buser, the freshman counselor, often would wake
him at night and call him to his office or bedroom where
the priest would ask him sexual questions, fondle him and expose
himself.
"He said he liked me because I was like a girl," Isely said. "I didn't
have much body hair."
Isely also told jurors that Leifeld, who was the school's principal,
molested him during his sophomore year. He said he once
discovered his twin brother, who was also a student, with Leifeld in
an office. The priest pulled down Isely's pants and
whispered that he was going to sodomize him, Isely said.
He said did not remember this abuse until late '92; the suit was filed
in Oct. '93. A law provision says a civil lawsuit over sexual
abuse is valid if filed within 1 year of recollection. The jury didn't
believe Isely's memory returned when he said it did.
A capuchin priest testified on Isely's behalf that he, too, was abused
when he was a student at the school at the same time. The
priest said he thinks he also might have repressed the memory.
Source:Detroit Free Press 3/29/95; 2/14/95
Baptist Ex-Minister Sentenced For Molesting Girl
Former Tulsa County minister Steve Lamberson, 35, pleaded no contest
to 2 molestation counts and was sentenced to 5 years
in prison.
Lamberson, former pastor and principal of Liberty Heights Free Will
Baptist Church and academy, was charged with molesting
a girl on 2 occasions, December '91 and March '92, beginning when she
was 14. Source: Tulsa World 5/27/95
MISSOURI
Counselor Abuses Victimized Woman
Former pastor Joe Humphrey, 58, was convicted by a jury on charges of
sexually abusing a Brookfield woman. Humphrey
pastored the Free Methodist Church in Chillicothe 15 years ago but was
operating a counseling service when arrested.
Court testimony stated that the victim, 20, had sought counseling from
Humphrey because she had been abused as a child by
her babysitter's husband and at an older age by her mother's
boyfriend.
The jury recommended Humphrey's jail term be set at 30 days, and a
fine, not to exceed $500, to be assessed at a later date
by the court. A $1,000 cash bond was set.
Humphey was hired in the spring of '93 to be a counselor with the
Plato School District and is currently serving as acting
principal of an unidentified school. Source: Chillicothe
Constitution-Tribune (no date)
Christian Brother Counselor Gets Nights In Jail
Longtime Christian Brother member Brother Felix Bland, 63, pleaded
guilty to 6 acts of sodomizing a boy, 11, when he was
counseling at the the LaSalle Institute in '88. A Circuit Court judge
recently suspended all but 1 year of Bland's 15 year
sentence due to his age.
Bland was placed on a work-release program that will allow the
minister to continue to work at the local Christian Brothers
headquarters in Glencoe, and spend nights in a county jail facility.
The judge received a letter from the father of 5 sons, ages 5-18, who
said they were molested by Bland. The letter claimed that
the younger children are too frightened to return to school and are
being taught at home by their father.
"I can't go to my regular job because I'm at home taking care of my
children," the father wrote. But Bland "can leave jail and
return to work, is that justice?" Source: Post-Dispatch (St. Louis)
4/25/95
Monsignor Says He Is A Sex Addict
Four years after becoming the pastor of the largest parish in the
Belleville Catholic Diocese, Monsignor Joseph Schwaegel says
he resigned not because of "stress and anxiety," but because "I am a
sex addict."
Court records show that Schwaegel was arrested in '87 for felony
attempted sexual misconduct at a highway rest area in St.
Louis County. He pleaded guilty and was given 1 year probation. A year
later he rose to Monsignor a year later at St. Peter's
Cathedral.
He was arrested in '93 for sexual misconduct after offering sex to an
undercover officer at another rest stop, said Detective Ed
Vitt.
The Belleville Diocese has removed 11 priests in the past 2 years from
their ministries because of sexual misconduct allegations.
Schwaegel was not among them. Schwaegel's action involved adults, and
the allegations against the other priests involved abuse
of minors or young adults. Source: The St. Louis Post-Dispatch 12/8/94
NEW YORK
Ex-Minister Abused Daughter
Former storefront minister Willie Crawford (a.k.a Willie Brown) who is
serving time in prison for raping a learning-disabled
woman in '93, has recently been convicted of sexually abusing his
daughter. Crawford was acquitted on charges of rape, but
was convicted of incest and endangering the welfare of a child and
using his daughter in a sexual performance.
The conviction stems from photographs of Crawford sexually abusing his
daughter, which police found in his home. The photos
were discovered while police were carrying out a search warrant issued
as part of the investigation into the rape of the
learning-disabled woman, who was the daughter of a friend.
Crawford was convicted last year of raping and sodomizing the woman,
21, and was sentenced to 8-16 years in prison. During
his court appearance on that charge, he was arrested on the charges
involving his daughter.
The girl said that she had been abused from age 9 until 14. Crawford,
former minister of Bethesda Temple Church, pleaded
guilty to attempting to sexually abuse 2 of his other daughters, then
13 and 14. He was sentenced to 5 years probation. He
faces 7 1/2 to 15 years for the count of using his daughter in a
sexual performance. Source: Newsday 8/19/95
Priest Attempts Rape of Parishioner
Rev. Albert Fernando, 48, has been ordered held on $100,000 bond on
charges of 1st degree sexual abuse, 1st degree
attempted rape and 1st degree unlawful imprisonment.
A woman, 30, reported to police that the Roman Catholic priest
attacked her while she was working in the rectory at Sacred
heart Church on Staten Island.
Fernando arrived in theU.S. in February from Bombay for a 1 year
sabbatical. Source: Spokesman 5/6/95
Parish Has Picnic For Accused Priest
Peruvian priest Rev. Juan Bazalar has been welcomed back to his
community by mostly Hispanic, supportive congregation
members of St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church in Monticello.
Parishioners threw a welcome back picnic in his honor, and
were photographed hugging the suspect.
Bazalar, 45, was convicted in '93 on 4 of 6 charges of molesting an
altar boy in '91. He was sentenced to 5-15 years in prison,
but won an appeal in January. The appeal was based on the fact that
parishioners were forbidden by the original trial judge to
refute testimony given by Rev. Daniel Croston, who testified that
Bazalar confessed to him in Spanish that he sodomized the
boy in the church.
The priest was recently retried for 1st degree sodomy (which implies
that force was used), 3rd-degree sodomy, endangering
the welfare of a child, and 3 counts of sexual abuse. Both sodomy
charges are felonies. He was found innocent of 1st degree
sodomy and the 3 counts of sexual abuse. The jury was unable to reach
a unanimous decision on the 2 remaining charges.
Croston's testimony was read to jurors; he died of lung cancer in '94.
Four parishioners testified that Croston was not fluent in
Spanish.
Bazalar could still be convicted on the 3rd degree sodomy charge and
the charge of endangering the welfare of a child in a
possible 3rd trial. The maximum sentence for the charges is 4 years,
Bazalar most likely would not be sent to prison because he
has already served 3 years awaiting trial.
"I feel so thankful to God, because he had to show the people from my
innocence." Bazalar said to a crowd of supporters
when he was released on his own recognizance after his first trial.
Bazalar's attorney said, with his arms around his client, "The
boy should move on with his life." Source: The Times Herald Record
(Middleton, NY) 8/5/95, 8/6/95, 7/22/95, 1/6/95
OKLAHOMA
Pastor Arrested For Raping Girl, 5
The pastor of the Mission of Love Church in Oakhurst has been charged
with 2 counts of 1st degree rape, 2 counts of forcible
sodomy on a girl, 5, and 1 count of making an indecent proposal to a
child (the victim's 3-year-old sister.)
William Euel Riley, 79, was arrested when police were notified by the
children's mother that he may have been trying to flee the
state. A Tulsa police detective said that Riley was watching the girls
at their home the night prior to taking them to church with
him.
The girl, 5, told her mother the following day that Riley attacked her
twice in her home and that her sister was invited to
participate in sex acts. Source: Tulsa World 3/29/95
Ex-Coach/Deacon Convicted Of Sexually Abusing Students
Former Bishop Kelley High School basketball coach Brett Webber, 33,
has been convicted on 25 sexual and molestation
counts against former and current students.
Seven students testified Webber, former teacher of the year, counselor
and church deacon, assaulted and molested them from
1990-93 in his classroom, house and car.
The jury returned guilty counts against Webber of: One count each of
1st-degree rape, sexually abusing a minor child and
attempted 1st-degree rape; 11 counts of lewd molestation and 6 counts
of forcible sodomy; 2 counts each of sodomy and
attempted lewd molestation; and 1 count of sexual battery. The
potential maximum sentences of the counts add up to 3 life
sentences plus 385 years. Webber was booked into the Tulsa Jail.
Webber said the seven former and current students, who came forward
during the trial with allegations of sexual abuse, are
lying. Source: Tulsa World 6/17/95; 6/16/95
PENNSYLVANIA
Jury Convicts Priest
Roman Catholic priest, Rev. Richard Dorsch, 50, was convicted by a
Common Pleas court jury on 2 counts of indecent assault
and 1 count of corruption of minors. He was acquitted on a 3rd charge
of indecent assault. Dorsch was the co-pastor of Risen
Lord parish in Brighton Heights and has been on administrative leave
since his arrest in August.
Dorsch was a friend of the boy's parents. The boy, 10, said Dorsch
invited him to the park to play basketball, swim and golf.
The victim initially told his father of the incident where the priest
allegedly kissed his neck and fondled him, later he told his
pediatrician, who reported the allegations to Youth Services.
Prosecutors attempted to present evidence related to a 2nd victim, who
claims that Dorsch engaged in similar conduct with him
over a 3 year period 12 years ago. He reported the assaults to police
after he read about Dorsch's arrest in the newspapers.
Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 4/25/95
Bible Teacher Turns Himself In
A Lancaster man who helped teach Bible study for teenagers planning to
join a church was arrested and charged with 2 counts
of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse. The victim, 15, was in the
process of becoming a member of the Conestoga Valley
Church of Christ.
John Mark Nadeau, 44, allegedly assaulted the boy during "one-on-one"
study sessions. Nadeau turned himself in after a child
abuse prosecution unit began investigating the alleged assaults. He
waived a preliminary hearing and was freed on $10,000 cash
bail.
Nadeau faces a maximum penalty of 20-40 years in prison if convicted.
Each charge of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse
carries a maximum penalty of 10-20 years, said a detective from East
Lampeter. Source: New Era (Lancaster) 8/9/95
Adulterous Rabbi Is Suspect In Murder
Police and prosecutors have stated publicly that they are
investigating whether Rabbi Fred J. Neulander hired a hit man to kill
his wife, Carol, who was found bludgeoned to death in their home. No
charges have been filed against Neulander because of
the lack of physical evidence.
Iinvestigators said they believe a hit man, who posed as a
deliveryman, killed the woman. Police said the same deliveryman had
come to the house 2 weeks prior, handed Carol an envelope--which
turned out to be empty--and asked to use the Neulander's
bathroom. During both appearances Carol was on the telephone with her
daughter. The night of the murder, Rabbi Neulander
was at the synagogue and returned to find his wife's body.
A possible motive for Neulander to have his wife killed became evident
after prominent Philadelphia radio host Elaine Soncini
acknowledged that she had a 2-year affair with the rabbi.
In a news conference, Soncini said she acknowledged the affair only
because her name was about to be made public.
Investigators say they believe Neulander, founder of Temple M'Kor
Shalom, was involved with at least one other woman
during the same period.
Neulander resigned from his post in February when investigators found
evidence that he was having extramarital affairs with 2
members of his congregation.
The rabbi has acknowledged "indiscretions" but has not publicly
admitted adultery, said Neulander's attorney. Source: The
Washington Post 8/31/95
RHODE ISLAND
Scout Leader Molestation Charges
Former Boy Scout troop leader & Eucharistic minister Paul Tondreau,
48, along with another former scout leader, Kenneth
Gaspar, 37, have been charged with 10 counts of 1st degree sexual
assault against 2 boys and a girl. Tondreau faces 2 counts
of rape against a 4th victim & ex-scout. The alleged rapes took place
at the Champlin Boy Scout Reservation between
1979-85.
There is no statute of limitations on 1st degree sexual assault, a
crime that carries a maximum life sentence. Source: Hartford
Courant 8/1/95
Guilty Priest's Sentence Suspended
Rev. James Silva, 55, pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a man, 18,
in '91. The Roman Catholic priest was given a 7 year
suspended sentence under a plea bargain.
The victim, Russell Cote, told prosecutors that he didn't care if
Silva served time in jail as long as the priest would admit his
guilt. Silva was suspended from his duties by the Providence Diocese.
Source: Hartford Courant 3/17/95
"Not Guilty" Plea Like "Knives"
Roman Catholic Priest Rev. Alfred R. Desrosiers was indicted for
allegedly raping a girl, 15, in '72 while he was an assistant
pastor assigned to St. Joan of Arc Church.
Father Desrosiers pleaded not guilty to charges filed by the victim in
'94. He was released on $450,000 bail. The rape charge is
punishable by life in prison.
The woman said, "the words were like knives," when Desrosiers pleaded
not guilty.
In the lawsuit, which is still pending in Superior Court, the woman
accuses the priest of inviting her into his rectory apartment,
where he "plied" her with liquor and had intercourse with her. It also
alleged that the assaults occurred as often as 4 times a
week.
The suit states that when the girl objected to the priest's advances,
he told her it was his responsibility to teach her about sex,
and "he would only be able to continue to serve the people of God as a
result of her being in his life."
Desrosiers was suspended by the Diocese of Providence in '93, when he
was pastor of Our Lady of Victories Church.
A Diocese spokesman said that the woman filed the lawsuit after the
diocese rejected her request that it pay for her and her 2
children to attend college. He said the diocese has paid for some of
the woman's psychological counseling, but stopped
payments after her request.
Desrosiers is the target of another pending lawsuit, filed by another
St. Joan female parishioner, which alleges Desrosiers
sexually assaulted her. Source: Providence Journal 9/145/95
SOUTH CAROLINA
Church Children Mistreated
The results of a 4 month investigation of the Grace and Truth
Fellowship Church where children were tied to chairs and
pounded on the back to drive out "demon devils" will be turned over to
the state Department of Social Services. No charges
have been filed against the Greeenville church although former &
current members indicated children were given harsh discipline
for misbehavior. Source: Lexington Herald Leader (Kentucky) 7/30/95
TEXAS
"Entrapped By Federal Agents"
In what was passed as a morning service sermon, Rev. David Brace, 44,
suggested that he is the target of a conspiracy on the
part of politicians, the news media and perhaps even other churches.
The Kansas minister was indicted in San Antonio in June on charges of
laundering $350,000 which federal agents led him
believe came from a Columbian drug cartel. The indictment charges that
Brace told undercover agents he was willing to launder
$10 million through the church's accounts. Two men, both from Texas,
were also charged.
Roy Clarkton, a codefendant, pleaded guilty to money laundering and
faces a possible fine of $500,000 and up to 20 years in
prison.
Brace pleaded innocent to the federal charge and was released on
$25,000 bail. Four days after his arrest in an sting operation,
he resigned as pastor of the Faith Metro Church. He has since returned
to his pulpit, and vowed to repay $10 million in debts
the church owes.
In a statement Brace read to his parish after his arrest, he said, "I
foolishly thought that I could take money from evil people and
use it for good, and even if they killed me . . . well, at least the
people who had bought bonds and loaned us their money would
be taken care of." Source: San Antonio Express-News 8/1/95; The
Witchita Eagle 9/4/95
"One-time Incident"
Several people have responded to Fort Worth Roman Catholic diocese's
request that complainants of Rev. William Hoover
come forward. Hoover, 64, resigned as pastor of St. Patrick Cathedral,
after admitting he molested an altar boy in a "one-time"
incident, in '57 at St. James Church in Dallas.
No information about the additional complainants has been given. The
original complainant, now 50, said the abuse began
during a Boy Scout campout when he was 12, and lasted more than a
year. He said he didn't report the incidents because he
thought it might jeopardize his position as an altar boy. After he was
abused in a pew of the church, he left and gave up his
dream of being a priest, the victim said. Source: San Antonio
Express-News 7/8/95
Judge Lenient with Offending Priest
Veteran District Judge Mike Machado reduced the penalty sought by
defense attorneys for Rev. Carlos Lozano. The Roman
Catholic priest, 38, was removed from his post as dean of men at St.
Anthony's High School Seminary after he was accused of
having sexual contact with 4 students. Lozano pleaded no contest to 4
counts of indecency.
Four teenage students told police Lozano fondled their genitals on
several occasions in '93. One reported having oral sex with
the priest. At the time of the incidents, 2 of the students were 16
and the other 2 were 17 years old.
The judge sentenced Lozano to 30 days in jail. He will be placed on
deferred adjudication--a form of probation--for 10 years,
after his sentence is served. Lozano was given a $1,000 fine and must
undergo counseling while under intense supervision. If
Lozano does not violate his probation for 1/3 of the 10 years, his
conviction will be erased and will not have to continue to be
registered as a known sex offender. Source: San Antonio Express-News
6/30/95, 7/7/95
Suicide Blamed On Church
A Dallas resident and the parents of a man who committed suicide have
joined in a lawsuit against Rev. Rudolph Kos and the
Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas for sexual abuse, negligence and
wrongful death.
The new plaintiffs bring the number of alleged victims to 10 and have
been consolidated into one case. Plaintiffs say the former
priest molested boys between 1977-92. They contend the church knew
about the sexual abuse and were negligent to allow
Kos to be around children.
Kos was suspended from the priesthood in December '93. Source: San
Antonio Express-News 7/2/95
Father & Son Accuse Priest
A grand indicted Rev. Jesus Garcia on charges of sexual assault and
indecency with a child. The indictment begins the effort to
have the cleric, 37, extradited from Spain to stand trial.
The Roman Catholic priest reportedly fled to Spain after he was
accused of drugging and molesting 4 children and a man.
The victim, 14, alleges Garcia gave him drug-laced milk and molested
him during an overnight stay at the Sacred Heart Catholic
Church rectory in '91. The Mathis teenager told his parents of the
assault in '94. The boy's father said that he had been drugged
and assaulted twice when he accompanied the priest in '94 on a trip to
Rome. The man said he tried not to believe the abuse
hapened, but realized the truth when his son told him of his
experience.
The 5 complainants and their families are suing Garcia, Bishop Rene
Gracida and the Catholic Diocese of Corpus Christi,
alleging the young men suffered physical and emotional damage because
of the assaults. The suit alleges the church and diocese
were negligent because they allowed Garcia to act as a priest even
though there was reason to suspect he was a pedophile.
One man, 22, said he was drugged, fondled and raped by Garcia in '93
while being counseled about his plans to become a
priest. He said he told Bishop Gracida about the incident and was
assured that something would be done. But later, when the
victim was a seminary student, he saw Garcia's name scheduled to speak
to the student body about morality. He man left the
seminary and began undergoing psychiatric therapy.
The accusations place the families against their district attorney,
their church and Bishop Rene H. Gracida, one of the country's
most powerful clergymen. The Corpus Christi diocese is one of the
richest dioceses in the nation with $80 million oil and gas
rights of the 400,000-acre Kennedy Ranch firmly under the control of
Gracida. The bishop also controls his own
telecommunications center and television station. He has a hunting
resort on the ranch, a mansion on Ocean Drive and a
diocese that stretches from Corpus Christi south to Brownsville.
A temporary restraining order was secured, in April, against Gracida,
the Corpus Christi diocese, San Antonio Archbishop
Patrick Flores and the San Antonio diocese from aiding Garcia in
leaving the U.S. or Texas without giving the court 72 hours
notice.
"We think Father Garcia is gone," said Adela Olivarez, wife and mother
of 2 victims.
"But, wherever he is, he's doing the same thing to some boy there."
Sources: San Antonio Express-News 7/18/95; The
Houston Chronicle 4/24/95
UTAH
Admitted Abuser Resumes Bishop Post
Episcopal bishop Steven Plummer was reinstated as the bishop of the
Navajo Indians on June 1. Plummer, who admitted he
had a 2 year sexual relationship with a teenage boy, took leave of
absence last year after acknowledging the allegations. He
was granted absolution and was given counseling. The young man he
abused also received counceling.
Allegation's against Plummer are the result of a conversation Plummer
had with a deacon about the relationship. Plummer
reportedly told the deacon the relationship ended 5 years ago. The
deacon took the matter to national church officials.
The youth, now an adult, did not file a complaint, and civil
authorities did not press charges even though it was within the statue
of limitations in Utah for criminal prosecution.
"What he (Plummer) did was a terrible, horrible thing." said Seminole
council member and Bishop William Wantland. "There's
no question about that. But what has to be born in mind is that this
was not a prepubescent youth nor did this involve a number
of individuals over a long period of time.
"This was a brief thing with one person, under circumstances that
never justify it. But according to his therapist and the clinic he
was at, he is not a pedophile and he is not a homosexual and there is
not much risk of anything ever happening again."
Episcopalians are divided on Plummer's return. Source: The Milwaukee
Journal 4/21/95
VERMONT
Indicted Priest Focus Of Legal Battle
A state supreme court judge ruled unanimously that action in the case
against Rev. John R. Hanlon, 66, will be put off until
avenues of appeal in Massachusetts have been exhausted.
The judge refused to try Hanlon because he is already serving 3 life
sentences and because of the possibility that his convictions
could be overturned by a Massachusetts Appeals Court.
Hanlon, who is eligible for parole in 2010, was convicted in '94 of
raping an altar boy at his Scituate summer home. The retired
priest is also charged with raping the same youth and another youth at
his Vermont ski chalet.
Hanlon's 1st sexual abuse trial ended in a mistrial. Five months
later, in a 2nd trial, he was convicted of raping an altar boy after
the judge allowed the testimony of 2 more boys into evidence. The boys
testified that they were sexually abused by the priest
while serving as altar boys at St. Paul's Church in Hingham. Source:
The Patriot Ledger
WASHINGTON
Minister & Wife Suspected As Sex Ring Leaders
Wenatchee prosecutors suspect more than 50 adults are involved in an
alleged sex ring. Pentecostal Church of God House of
Prayer minister, Robert Roberson, 50, and his wife Connie, have been
charged with 22 counts of rape and child molestation.
The Robersons each pleaded not guilty to 4 counts of 1st degree rape
of a child and 4 counts of 1st degree child molestation.
Bond was set for each at $1 million. So far, 19 adults have been
charged since January '94 with engaging in group sex with
children.
Allegations began in early '94 when a girl, 9, told her foster care
parents of the abuse that was allegedly taking place at the
church. She made accusations that dozens of adults swapped children at
orgies that occurred regularly from 1988-94.
A friend, 13, of the girl told police that she had been abused by the
Robersons and 3 other members of the church raped her in
Roberson's office.
In graphic statements given to police, 1 woman who pleaded guilty said
her husband forced her to take part in having sex with
2 of their sons and 2 of their daughters, some as young as 4.
Many of the children were removed from abusive homes and placed in
foster care as the investigation continues.
Affidavits filed in Douglas Superior Court state that parents and
children would meet in the basement to sing and listen to
scripture. Adults would then order the children to undress and have
sex with them. Sources: Wenatchee World 7/21/95;
Newsweek 5/8/95; Seattle Post-Intelligence 4/5/95
WISCONSIN
Pedophile Priest Gets 20 Years
Episcopal priest Eugene Maxey, 41, was convicted of molesting 5 boys
in over 200 sexual incidents at the Nashotah House
seminary. Maxey was 1 of 4 former seminarians charged with sexual
assault at the facility. Source: Wisconsin State Journal
12/30/94
No Ordinary Affair
A Green Bay woman ttestified that her search for counseling ended in
an affair with a Catholic priest. Father Edward Witczak,
61, was charged with 2 counts of sexual exploitation by a therapist.
The woman, 29, said she sought help from Witczak to cope with marital
problems, the terminal illness of her father and with
feelings of guilt over sexual abuse she suffered when she was 5. She
said her relationship with Witczak, pastor of St. Elizabeth
Seton Parish, developed after holding hands during a walk in the woods
during a retreat in Door County and evolved to back
rubs on the floor of the rectory and sexual intimacies 2 or 3 times a
month at Witczak's home, the parish rectory or in his car.
"He calmed me down, made me like myself better," the woman said. "I
had more self-esteem. He gave me an answer to my
questions. He stabilized my emotional feelings."
Witczak admitted to having a 2-year sexual relationship with the
woman, who called off the sexual contacts after she had gone
into a confessional and realized it was ruining her marriage, which
has since ended. Witczak's attorney said the 2 became
friends, which was separate from a counseling relationship. Source:
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 8/29/95
ASIA
Antipornography Crusader Speaks Out
Ron O'Grady, coordinator of End Child Prostitution in Asian Tourism,
discussed steps to check the spread of pornography and
stop the abuse of children by pedophiles at a 30-country conference in
Manilla earlier this year. O'Grady said sexual abuse of
Asian children by foreigners has become common in at least 10 Asian
countries; some of the culprits are missionaries or church
workers.
O'Grady also said it is common for pedophiles to record their
performances on videotape while they abuse children. He cited
cases of an Australian priest and an American church worker who were
jailed for abusing young boys in Thailand and the
Philippines.
"Some are in jail, some have been protected by their church agency and
escape being brought to trail, some are still working in
the church and abusing children," he said. Source: Globe & Mail
1/20/95
AUSTRALIA
Britain's Secret: Deported Children Suffered Sexual and Physical Abuse
by Christian
Organizations
From the mid-forties to as recent as 1967, thousands of children were
shipped off to Australia to swell the white population in
remote areas.
Cardinal Hune endorsed a newly launched Australian Child Migrant
Foundation which aims to raise money to reunite child
migrants with family in Britain. But those who are now fighting for
compensation for physical, sexual and psychological abuse in
the Australian courts say what the Church is offering is a bare
gesture to the dislocated children.
Some of the migrant children spent their childhood years in heavy
manual labor at the now infamous Bindoon Boys Camp, 1 of
4 Catholic boys' homes run by the Christian Brothers in Perth.
Through poverty or the social stigma attached to unmarried mothers,
some women were forced to hand over their babies to
institutions. They were told their children had been adopted or had
died.
Children selected to go to Australia by institutions such as
Barnardo's, the Salvation Army and the National Children's Homes
were told they were orphans and were headed for a new and exciting
life. They were taken to the wild bushland and deserts of
Australia.
A culture of sexual and physical abuse existed at Bindoon, which took
boys from age 4 to 10. Government records show
officials were aware of the living conditions and the treatment of the
boys even in the late 1940s.
"Some brothers got their kicks out of beating us and others got their
kicks in other ways . . . you don't know what it's like to
see little boys woken up in their sleep and taken from their beds.
We'd hear a brother coming--his footsteps on the wooden
floor--and we'd pray he wouldn't stop beside our bed. I'd lie there on
a wet matress, praying it wouldn't happen to me. And
then somebody else would be woken and carried to a brother's room,"
said one man who accused the British government of
sending child slaves to its colony.
One victim wrote: "No, I didn't miss out on being sexually abused,
Brother B used to get me on his knee in his room and play
with my penis. In that time, I thought he was showing affection
towards me. You must remeber that was the nearest I got to
love and affection, him touching and rubbing my private parts. That
was the second time in my life that I was held in someone's
arms. Years later, I found out what he had done to me."
About 200 former inmates of the homes are taking legal action against
the Christian Brothers and the Catholic Archbishop of
Perth in the Supreme Court of New South Wales.
Bruce Blyth, founder of Voices, said the support organization for the
child migrants has named over 40 Christian Brothers who
are alleged to have abused and raped boys of 7 or 8 years old. Source:
The Guardian 8/31/95
AUSTRIA
Abusive Cardinal Quits Post
The Archbishop of Vienna denied allegations of sexually abusing a male
pupil 20 years ago. Cardinal Hans-Hermann Groer,
head of the Catholic Church in Austria, resigned as head of Austria's
Bishops' Conference 2 days after he was narrowly
re-elected.
Josef Hartmann, 37, former pupil of an all-male Roman Catholic high
school where Groer was a religion instructor, said that the
cardinal abused him often in the early 70s. The cardinal, 75, also has
sexual harassment accusations against him from other
former students. Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 4/9/95
CANADA
Church: Silence Is Golden
The Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall paid a man $32,000 to withdraw his
complaint that a priest had molested him for 3 years,
starting at age 9, despite a 1992 report which called for an end to
the silence and secrecy of Catholic clergy abuse. The report,
From Pain to Hope, said: "Another contributing factor to child sexual
abuse is a church that too readily shelters its ministers
from having to account for their conduct; that is often tempted to
settle moral problems behind a veil of secrecy which only
encourages their growth."
The former altar boy, now 35, said the Cornwall diocese gave him money
in exchange for his silence and secrecy. "In the
beginning I just asked for a written apology, but (church officials)
said they couldn't do that because it would be like admitting
guilt," he said. "But they said they could offer a settlement." The
man complied and withdrew his complaint.
Bishop Eugene LaRocque, head of the Cornwall Diocese, refused phone
calls which violated another clause of church policy
that requires officials to remain "available" to media to discuss
alleged cases of sexual abuse. A Cornwall priest said
out-of-court settlements shield a priest from defamation. "The
publicity (of a trial) would effectively tar this person whether he
was acquitted or not." One critic requested the investigation of the
man's allegation and whether church officials are "weaseling
out" of criminal prosecution. Source: The Ottawa Citizen, 1/13/94
Troubled History: Church School Staff Abused Hundreds of Native
American Children
Starting in the 1880s, in the federal government's 100-year attempt to
assimilate native people into white society, the
department of Indian Affairs began removing thousands of native
children from their villages and sending them to boarding
schools across Canada run by the Roman Catholic, Anglican and United
Churches.
Former Alberni students report that they were repeatedly molested and
physically abused by staff members. Their accounts
have led to the conviction of former dorm supervisor, Arthur Plint,
77, and triggered a massive investigation into sexual and
physical abuse of all 13 residential schools in the providence of
British Columbia.
Plint pleaded guilty to 11 counts of indecent assault and gross
indecency.
Robert Dennis, former student, reported that Plint would invite boys
into his room one at a time to watch television in exchange
for sexual favors. During the 12 years he spent at the United Church
school on Vancouver Island, he was forced to have sex
with Plint.
Another former student, Amelia Thompson, was sent tothe school at age
8. She learned that she would have to have sex with
the coach in order to make the school's basketball team. She joined
the softball team instead, thinking it would be safer to play
outside rather than in the barn. At practice, the coach would stand
behind her, as she played catcher, and fondle her,
Thompson reports.
In 1973, the Nuh-chah-nulth Tribal Council shut the school down when
the federal government abandoned its residential school
policy.
The Assembly of First Nations reported in '94 that children were
raped, beaten and tortured at residential schools, leading to
high rates of suicide, substance abuse and family dsyfunction. Source:
The Vancouver Sun (weekend edition) 2/4/95
Victim Seeks Retribution
Former Saskatchewan Roman Catholic priest, Father Ted Dekievit, was
convicted of sexual charges launched by his young
parishioner victim.
The retired Melville priest was sentenced to 9 months in jail after he
pleaded guilty to gross indecency in '93. Dekievit was
charged for incidents that occurred while he served as a parish priest
in Gerald from 1970-81.
Dekievit and the archdiocese of Regina have been named in the lawsuit
seeking up to $1 million in damages from both parties.
The victim, an Esterhazy-area farmer, was abused while an altar boy.
The lawsuit claims the archdiocese was responsible for
the control and monitoring of its priests and protecting its
parishioners.
The priest denies most of the sexual acts specified in the lawsuit,
but admitted to an act of masturbation in the boys presence. In
a defense statement from Dekievit, he contended that the boy was old
enough and intelligent enough to understand what he was
doing, and that any injuries or damages the boy sustained later in
life were not related to him.
Another Catholic priest, Rev. Eldon McGrath, was eligible for parole
in August after a 3 year jail term. McGrath was
sentenced to jail last November after he pleaded guilty to 15 counts
of indecent assault for offences that occurred in the 50s,
60s and 70s.
Eleven women who were abused as young girls by McGrath have started
discussions with the Lanigan-area church, to bring
about changes which will help other survivors of childhood sexual
abuse. Source: Leader Post (Regina) 5/18/95
Lay Minister Jailed
A retired Baptist lay minister, Walter Howe, was sentenced to 3 months
in jail for sex crimes since the 60s. Howe, 85,
admitted to abusing 8 girls between ages 5 and 15 at the time of the
abuse. Source: The Ottawa Citizen, 9/2/94
Ex-Residents Sue Christian Brothers
Twenty-eight former residents filed suit against the Christian
Brothers of Ontario saying they were punched, kicked, clubbed,
denigrated, groped and sodomized during the years they spent at the St
John's Training School For Boys in Ontario. "You
blame yourself for years and lose dignity, self-respect and can't deal
with any type of authority," said Mike Watters. The former
student, 49, said he was repeatedly abused in '57. The lawsuit, which
names 64 brothers, was filed after failed attempts to
settle out of court, according to Watters.
A police investigation has resulted in over 240 charges against 30
Christian Brothers and staff at St. John's and St. Joseph's
churches. Twelve of the 20 people from St. Joseph's that were charged
have been convicted and 4 acquitted. Source: The
Ottawa Citizen, 9/7/94
Christian Brothers' Victims Compensated
The Catholic Church and the Ontario government have distributed $47.1
million to victims of abuse by Christian Brothers at 2
training schools. Police continue to investigate allegations of abuse
at the schools. Sixteen Christian Brothers and school
employees have been convicted while 6 others await trial. Source:
London Free Press, 8/8/94
Priest Passes Out Pornos
Rev. David Vincent Roche, 79, pleaded guilty to distributing hundreds
of pornographic videotapes along Fort Erie roadsides
and at school bus stops. Source: The Chronicle-Herald, 10/6/94
Women Sue Orphanage
Four women are suing an order of nuns who sexually abused, beat and
physically tormented them when they lived in the
now-closed Carmelite Orphanage for Girls in the 50s & 60s. Source: The
Chronicle-Herald, 9/12/94
Man Sues "Malicious" Priest
James Davidson, 34, of New Glasgow, seeks monetary compensation for
mental distress, pain and suffering, and loss of
employment opportunities as an effect of the "vindictive, malicious
and reprehensible" sexual abuse by Rev. Claude Richard in
the 60s & 70s. Davidson said the Our Lady of Lourdes Church was
negligent in its selection of a priest who abused his power
and authority because it placed Richard in parishes where he posed a
"dangerous threat to infant males." Davidson said the
church either knew or should have known about the abuse and was
negligent in its failure to help him. Source: The
Chronicle-Herald, 1/18/95
Scout Leader/Minister Get 6 Years
An Anglican minister and Boy Scout leader was sentenced to 6 years in
prison for sexually abusing 16 boys between 1976-81.
More boys are expected to come forward. Ralph Rowe, 54, of Thompson,
Manitoba, pleaded guilty to 28 charges. Rowe
received police protection due to death threats. Sources: Star Phoenix
(Saskatoon, Saskatchewan), 7/2/94; Chronicle
Herald, 7/94
Gale Gets Jail
A lay preacher formerly of the Freeport-Tiverton United Baptist
Church, Floyd Delano Gale, 46, accused of sexually abusing
12 young men in Digby County a decade ago, has been sentenced to 6
years and 5 months in prison for his pedophilic crimes.
His victims expressed disappointment that Gale did not receive a
tougher sentence. One mother of Gale's victim exclaimed, "He
robbed our son of his childhood." Source: Chronicle-Herald, 6/30/94
ENGLAND
Church Appoints Priests To Counsel Pedophiles
The Roman Catholic Church will appoint a priest to each diocese in
England and Wales. The appointee is to "deal with" priests
and lay workers who sexually abuse children. Source: Manchester
Guardian Weekly, 7/17/94
IRELAND
Irish Controversy And Hypocrisy
Church and state often cross in the Irish Republic, which is 95
percent Roman Catholic, but the case of Belfast priest, Rev.
Brendan Smyth, who was sentenced to 4 years in prison for the indecent
assaults of 5 girls and 2 boys, has threatened its
political and religious foundation. Smyth, 67, fled after accusations
surfaced that implicated him in the molestations of children
since the 1960s. Northern Ireland police filed an extradition request,
that was ignored by the office of Attorney General Harry
Whelehan for 7 months, and controversy arose when Irish Prime Minister
Albert Reynolds appointed Whelehan to a judicial
post. Reynolds resigned and Whelehan quit amidst the controversy.
Smyth, who is now serving a 4 year sentence at Magillian Prison, faces
16 additional charges of indecent assault on young boys
and girls. The offenses allegedly occurred between '74 and '89 in
various parts of Northern Ireland.
Smyth also faces about 30 charges in the Republic. No date has been
set for a court appearance there.
Four other Catholic clergymen face charges: a Galway priest and former
school principal pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a
male hitchhiker, 18; a Northern Ireland Servite brother admitted
molesting 3 girls, all 11; a Belfast priest charged with molesting
9 boys, ages 9-15; and a brother appealing his 18 year sentence for
raping 6 boys in Western Ireland. Sources: The Arizona
Republic, 11/19/94; The Irish Times (Dublin) 7/4/95
NEW ZEALAND
Religious Leader Dominated 7 Girls
A widowed former leader of an Aukland religious sect was sentenced to
9 months in jail for raping and assaulting 7 girls,
including 1 of his daughters. Source: New Zealand Herald, 6/18/94
Priest Admits On-Going Sex Abuse
Deputy to the bishop of Palmerston North, Father Peter Gwynne
McCormack, 58, pleaded guilty of the on-going sexual abuse
of a girl, from age 12-18. He admitted having oral sex and attempting
anal sex with the girl. The abuse reportedly began after
her parents separated. Source: New Zealand Herald, 6/16/94
Scout Leader Charged
Faced with 17 charges of sexual assault on 4 boys and a girl between
'78 and '92, Graham Parkyn Benson, 46, pleaded not
guilty in Wellington District Court. A man, now 21, said he was abused
by Benson at age 12 at Paraparaumu Beach. He said it
happened so many times it became like a dating relationship, "except
there was a father-son aspect." Source: New Zealand
newspaper
THAILAND
Buddhist Monks Less Than Reputable?
Phra Yantra Ammarobhikku, 42, a Buddist monk, has been accused of
having sexual escapades and fathering a child with a
parishioner. Breaking the oath of celibacy is punishable by
defrocking. The overriding theme of Thailand's most popular
religion, is renunciation of material and sexual desires. Yantra, as
he is called, also has 2 credit cards and reportedly $3.92
million in an account under his lay name. Source: AP/Kenosha News
(Kenosha, WI), 6/13/94; AP, 6/16/94
Arizona
Diocese Settles Lawsuit
A Scottsdale couple whose son was molested by a priest 8 years ago
settled secretly out of court with the Catholic Diocese of
Phoenix, avoiding a potentially embarrassing trial for the diocese.
The boy's parents filed suit in 1990, reporting that the diocese
ignored reports that their son was molested at cabin owned by Rev.
George Bredemann and used for informal youth retreats.
The boy later molested other children and was sent to a
juvenile-detention facility. Bredemann had pleaded guilty to attempted
child molestation of the boy and 2 brothers in 1989, and was sentenced
to 1 year in jail and lifetime probation. A lawsuit filed
by the parents of the brothers was settled out of court in 1991.
Source: Arizona Republic, 8/5/94
Latter-Day Dad Sued
A Mormon bishop, Arlo Kay Atkin, 38, who was excommunicated from the
church for sexual misconduct, is being sued by a
Mesa woman who says their sexual relationship beginning when she was
15 resulted in a pregnancy and a child, now 4. The
suit alleges negligence by the church in trusting him with minors.
Atkin, now of Ventura, CA, pleaded guilty in February 1991 to
sexual contact with the woman and was sentenced to 4 months in jail.
Source: Arizona Republic, 7/8/94
California
Incestuous Baptist A Repeat Offender
Baptist minister Jon L. Walker, 45, pleaded guilty to molesting a
female relative, age 9, while free on bail awaiting a new trial
for sexual molestation. Walker had served 2 years and 4 months in
prison following his June 1992 trial and conviction for
molesting and raping a teenage relative several times over 2 years. An
appellate court reversed that conviction in February
1994, ruling that the judge had erred in rejecting requests to
investigate allegations of juror misconduct. While free on bail
awaiting a new trial, Walker was arrested and charged with molesting
the 9 year old. Walker subsequently accepted a plea
bargain sentence of 6 years and 8 months. Sources: San Luis Obispo
Telegram Tribune, 6/22/94; 2/15/94
Two "Father Figure" Pastors Convicted
A pastor of San Jose's 6,000-member Jubilee Christian Center, the
largest church in San Jose, was convicted of 15 counts of
child molestation. David Brimmer, 40, faces a maximum of 20 years and
8 months in prison for the molestations of boys, ages
11-16, during sleepovers at his home.
Pablo Geraldo Boas, 29, Brimmer's former roommate and fellow pastor,
pleaded guilty to 8 felony counts of child molestation
and will spend 3 years in prison. One boy, 16, said Boas had sexual
contact with him 20-30 times, once forcefully pinning him
down and fondling him. Police suspect there were at least 12
additional victims who have not come forward. "It's been real
hard to get these boys to talk about their involvement because they
looked upon both of these guys as father figures," said Sgt.
Chester Pridgeon. Sources: San Francisco Chronicle, 2/9/95, 1/20/95;
Mercury News, 12/7/93, 2/9/95
'Sorry' Priest Sentenced
Although a St. Anthony's Seminary priest, Rev. Robert Van Handel,
apologized to the court for sexually molesting a choir boy,
14, while he was the leader of the Santa Barbara Boys Choir, he
received the maximum sentence of 8 years in prison. The
judge reprimanded him for using his position of power to feed his
pedophilia. Paul Smith, the father of 2 of Van Handel's
victims, told the court that the priest could perform communion one
minute, and deliver sexual abuse the next. "He participated
in the baptism of my daughter and raped two of my sons," Smith said.
"We are grateful we did not have more sons, or he
would have raped them as well." Van Handel was the second St.
Anthony's priest convicted of felony child abuse. Philip Wolf,
who hanged himself after completing his probation, was sentenced to 1
year in jail in 1989 after pleading no contest to a charge
of oral copulation and fondling a child. Sources: Inland Valley Daily
Bulletin (Ontario, CA), 8/13/94; Santa Barbara
News-Press, 8/13/94
Priest Hangs Himself
A Santa Barbara priest, Philip Wolfe, 40, who had pleaded no contest
to engaging in oral sex with a minor in 1989, hanged
himself in his apartment shortly after completing his probation.
Wolfe, a boys choir leader and teacher at St. Anthony's
Seminary, was sentenced to a year in jail and 5 years probation. His
conviction initiated the investigations that exposed the
sexual abuse of 34 boys by 12 priests at the seminary between 1964 and
1987. Source: AP,11/11/94
Reagan's Minister Resigns
The minister who led prayers at both of Ronald Reagan's inaugurations,
Rev. Donn Moomaw, 63, secretly resigned in 1993
because of "sexual contact" with 5 women while he was pastor of Bel
Air Presbyterian Church, according to the church. The
women have not filed lawsuits against Moomaw or the church for the
abuse that took place between 1983-1992. The church
cited his crossing over the "line of acceptable behavior" as reason
for his resignation. Source: Los Angeles Times, 3/15/95
Wrong Number
For a woman suffering from depression and chronic fatigue syndrome,
1-800-HELP4ME was definitely the wrong number.
The woman, 26, who had been abused as a child, dialed the Christian
Therapy hotline in 1992 after hearing their offer of help
on a religious radio station and was referred to Dr. James Lisle.
Lisle is now serving a year in jail for violating a state law that
prohibits therapists from sexual contact with their patients.
"This is one of the worst cases I've ever heard of," said Gerald
Davis, a professor of psychology at the University of Southern
California. "He played on her faith, he used his position to invoke
God." The hotline worker who answered her call told her
Lisle was the most "godly" therapist there. "He kept saying, 'You're
so pure!' He knew I was a virgin. Then he told me to sit on
his lap and touch him wherever I wanted to. He said, 'You'll never
learn to trust people if you don't touch me,' " she said. A jury
found him guilty and Lisle is serving a 1 year sentence for having sex
with the woman, who is pregnant. Lisle lost his counseling
license on Dec. 21 under a decision by the Behavioral Science Board in
Sacramento. Sources: Orange County Register,
8/22/94; Press-Telegram, 12/6/94
Secret Father Reinstated
San Francisco Roman Catholic Bishop John Cummins reinstated Rev. John
Gilmore, 41--who arranged to pay child support
for the 2 children he secretly fathered with one of his
parishioners--due to a lack of "young, popular priests." "[Supporters]
regard this [reinstatement] as consistent with the Church's
proclamation of the Gospel of forgiveness, and the fact that the Lord
chooses imperfect witnesses to accomplish his work," Cummins said.
A friend of the mother, Nancy Bienville, expressed her anger at the
church's attempt to cover up the incident and not provide
proper counseling. "Through all these extremely emotional times, where
was the church that she grew up believing in and
trusting her very soul to? They were busy trying to keep a secret,"
she said. "Is the church embarrassed that another one of its
deep dark secrets was found out? Is it embarrassed that it uses fear,
guilt and shame as a way to control situations?" Source:
San Francisco Chronicle, 11/23/94
Episcopal Priest Imprisoned
An Episcopal priest of Palmdale, Robert. L. Ducker, 63, received the
maximum sentence of 12 years in prison for repeatedly
molesting 2 parishioner boys. Source: Inland Valley Daily Bulletin,
6/26/94
Colorado
Man Says Priest Infected Him
A Boulder man who filed suit against Rev. Delbert Blong for infecting
him with the HIV virus has settled out-of-court with the
Pueblo Catholic Diocese for an undisclosed sum of money. Thomas Perea,
37, filed the suit in 1993, saying Blong transmitted
the virus to him during their 22-year sexual relationship that began
when Blong was his parish priest in Alamosa. Blong, 68,
who admitted having sex with Perea, filed a counter-claim that says
Perea transmitted the virus to him. Source: The Chieftain,
12/16/94
Connecticut
Molesting Deacon On The Move!
A Catholic deacon, who was sentenced under a plea bargain in January
1994 to 5 years probation for molesting a boy, 14, will
be allowed to seek employment opportunities in Maryland, a judge said.
Terry Manspeaker, 39, cannot leave Connecticut until
his probation has been transferred to Maryland authorities. The judge
ordered Manspeaker to enroll in a program for sex
offenders within a week of his move. Source: Valley Times, 1/27/95
Florida
Church Liability Questioned
Lawsuits filed against 2 Central Florida priests claim the church
concealed child abuse, failed to report it to legal authorities and
shuffled problem priests from parish to parish.
In a case dating to 1986, the Catholic Diocese of Orlando recently
paid $250,000 in an out-of-court settlement to the family of
a girl, 12, who was fondled by Rev. Eamon O'Dowd, according to
arbitrators. "You violated the trust of a friend, the emotional
need of a parishioner and the trust of a child," arbitrators told
O'Dowd before they ordered the church to compensate the
victim. The family had agreed to arbitration through a Christian group
because prosecutors had dropped the criminal charges in
1984 because of "real questions" about evidence. Testimony during the
arbitration hearing divulged that 2 other girls had
complained that O'Dowd touched their breasts but his supervisor did
not report the incidents. Source: AP/Orlando Sentinel,
2/26/95
Christian Academy Coach Sentenced
A teacher, athletic director, counselor and coach at Bethel Christian
Academy in Cocoa was sentenced to 5.5 years in prison,
followed by 10 years probation for the kidnapping and sexual battery
of a student, 13. Daniel Perdue was arrested outside a
motel in Vero Beach. Perdue must pay for his victim's counseling and
is forbidden to ever hold a position of authority over
minors. Source: Florida Today, 8/9/94
Illinois
Diocese Settles Suit
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliet agreed to an out-of-court
settlement involving a teenager who was molested by a priest,
Myles Patrick White, from 1989 to 1991. The "six-figure sum" will
remove the diocese from any further civil action, according
to a source. White is serving a 4 year sentence in prison for
molesting the boy. Source: Chicago Sun-Times, 12/2/94
Hal's Under Lock And Key
An Aurora mail-order minister who also owned Hal's Lock & Key
locksmith business will be under prison lock & key after
pleading guilty to sexually assaulting a girl, 10. Harvey Lee "Hal"
Sechler, 53, who operated Universal Life Church out of his
home, admitted to molesting the girl whom he babysat in 1993. Sechler
had previously admitted having repeated sexual
relations with his daughter when she was 4-12 years old. Although no
charges were ever brought in that case, his daughter was
placed in a Kane County orphan home. Records also show that Sechler
once sold child pornography at Hal's Food Store in
Montgomery before child pornography was illegal in Illinois. Source:
Chicago Tribune, 8/3/94
Sexual Misconduct Costs 'Deprive' Church?
The Chicago Roman Catholic church reported it spent $4.3 million on
sexual misconduct costs during the fiscal year 1994. The
archdiocesan newspaper New World reported that those costs do "not
involve current claims" but incidents that "happened
years ago." "These figures show the magnitude of the problem," said
David Clohessy, national director of the Survivors
Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP). "It's easy for some
Catholics to dismiss SNAP as a small group of hurting
people. But these kind of expenditures show how widespread the problem
is." As Joseph Cardinal Bernardin charged, the
money put toward the legal fees, settlements, professional outreach to
victims, and treatment for abusive priests "deprives (the
archdiocese) of resources that are needed for evangelization in its
many forms and other purposes." Source: Chicago
Sun-Times, 1/22/95
Tenth Priest Removed In Bellevue
Rev. Daniel Friedman became the 10th priest relieved of duties in the
Belleville Catholic Diocese due to reports of sexual
abuse. The pastor of St. Paul's Catholic Church, Vienna, IL, and
chaplain at Camp Ondessonk in southern Illinois, was
removed from parish work and ordered to keep away from children by
Bishop Wilton Gregory. Nine priests and a deacon
were removed since March 1993 and another priest resigned voluntarily
following allegations. Bishop Gregory admitted that the
vicar general of the diocese had recommended removal of Friedman from
the summer camp in 1988, but that no action was
taken by then-Bishop James P. Keleher, now archbishop of Kansas City,
KS. The camp's founder and former director, Rev.
Robert Vonnahmen, was also removed from parish work last year after
sexual abuse reports. Source: St. Louis
Post-Dispatch, 9/3/94; 7/2/94
Davis Appeal Denied
The Illinois Supreme Court denied the second appeal of a Christian
Fellowship Church's founder and pastor, L.R. Davis, who
already appealed his 31-year prison sentence for sexually abusing 2
boys to the Illinois Appellate Court. Davis' attorney issued
a press release that stated the introduction of physical evidence
would show that no crime had been committed and included a
petition signed by 6,600 people asking for a compassionate
re-evaluation of his case. Sources: Chicago Sun-Times,
7/9-10/94; News-Sun, 10/18/94
Iowa
Beets Beat
The Iowa Supreme Court upheld the conviction of a Cedar Rapids
minister, who is serving a 2-year sentence in prison for the
sexual assault. Wendell Beets, of the Sound Doctrine Church of God in
Christ, was convicted in December 1993 of assaulting
a female parishioner, 20, while they were alone in his van on a gravel
road. Source: Cedar Rapids Gazette, 3/30/95
Kentucky
Court Upholds Strange Conviction
The Kentucky Supreme Court upheld the conviction of Baptist minister
John R. Strange, who decapitated his wife, buried the
head and set fire to the torso in May 1990. In October 1991, Strange
was sentenced to 65 years in prison but had appealed.
Source: Lexington Kentucky Herald Leader, 6/26/94
Michigan
Mormon Bishop's Clerk Convicted
A Mormon bishop's clerk, Bruce A. McAskill, 66, with a past rape
conviction, faces a minimum sentence of 5 years in prison
after a judge found him guilty of kissing and fondling a boy, 8, whom
he was babysitting. The boy's mother attended McAskill's
church. A police officer who was called to the scene said McAskill
told him "he didn't see any problem" with an adult sleeping
naked with a child. Source: Jackson Citizen Patriot, 10/25/94
Holy Childhood Hell
The Holy Childhood of Jesus School, a boarding school in Harbor
Springs run by the School Sister of Notre Dame, shut down
11 years ago, but the memories of sexual, physical and emotional abuse
linger in the minds of numerous Native Americans who
say they lost their ambitions there. Nine men, now in their 30s and
40s, said 2 unnamed nuns committed sex acts, ranging from
fondling to intercourse, in the 1960s and early 1970s. One man, now
36, still feels ashamed at having lost his virginity at 12 to a
nun. Nuns also reportedly would drape urine-soaked sheets over the
heads of bed-wetters and call them "black savages" and
"heathens." Sources: Jackson Citizen Patriot, 7/17/94; The Milwaukee
Journal, 7/27/94
Minnesota
Victim Became Villain
A new lawsuit settled by the family of a minister's sexual abuse
victim, 16, exposed more about the sordid past of Wayne
Vetter, now serving a 7.5-year prison sentence. Attorneys for neither
side would disclose the settlement sum, but the victim's
attorney said Church Mutual, the church's insurer, would pay under
$500,000. Cloquet police said they suspect Vetter left a
trail of about 100 victims during his 22 years in the ministry.
Vetter's victim was characterized as the villain who was unwilling to
forgive the pastor who made a mistake. While one of his Cloquet
victims was hospitalized after a suicide threat, Vetter
continued to sexually molest the other boy. "I thought I was helping
him to cope with what had happened to his friend," he said.
The victim's family lawsuit hinges on the charge that Rev. Todd
Mattson, associate pastor, found Vetter with the boy 3 times
late at night in the church with the lights off during the 7-month
span of abuse, but didn't immediately report the abuse. He called
his bishop after the third time who then contacted local authorities.
"(Vetter) promoted himself as a leader against child abuse in
the community. People didn't want to believe that this man they had in
their homes and prayed with would do this sort of thing. I
cannot give this man one ounce of sympathy," said Cloquet Police Sgt.
Dennis Randelin, who was a member of Vetter's
congregation. Source: Duluth News-Tribune, 9/25/94, 2/28/95
Porter's Victims Win Damages
Twenty-one abuse victims who charged that former Catholic priest James
R. Porter, 59, molested them 25 years ago when he
was a priest in Stillwater, won $17 million in damages. Porter is also
serving a 12-year sentence for sexual assaulting dozens of
children in Massachusetts. The men settled with 2 Catholic dioceses
and the Servants of Paraclete, a New Mexico center that
treated Porter before he came to Minnesota in the late 1960s. The 21
men shared a $400,000 payment from the center and
are seeking $5.7 million from the center's insurers. Source:
Washington Post, 11/1/94; AP
"Rising Star" Pleads Guilty
After initially pleading innocent to 3rd-degree sexual assault
misconduct, Rev. Mark Makowski, 38, pleaded guilty to a plea
bargain of 4th-degree misconduct in March. The pastor of St. John
Catholic Parish in Grand Marais and Holy Rosary Parish in
Grand Portage admitted he molested a 16 year old boy after giving him
alcohol. "There's a lot of people in this community who
didn't believe this happened," noted prosecutor William Hennessy. "The
family is happy that the trugh came out." The "rising
star" of his diocese, Makowski will undergo 6 months treatment in
Ontario before his sentencing. Source: News-Tribune,
3/30/95.
Missouri
Religious Commune Leader Convicted
The leader of a religious commune in Clay County has been convicted of
kidnapping, raping, sodomizing and restraining the
daughter of one of his followers. The recommended sentence for Nelson
DeCloud, 53, is 220 years in prison. Sources: Centre
Daily Times, 8/5/94; AP, 8/4/94
New Hampshire
Priest Gets 33+ Years
Priest Gordon MacRae, 41, was sentenced to 33.5-67 years in prison for
raping an altar boy a decade ago. He also pleaded
guilty in September to assaulting 3 other boys in 1983 at St.
Bernard's Church, Keene. Source: Wisconsin State Journal,
11/15/94
Victory Without Reward
Although Dana Vyska acknowledged the possibility that he may never
collect the $100,000 awarded him in a judgment against
Rev. Joseph Fredette, he still considers it a victory. Fredette, 61,
who is criminally charged with sexually assaulting 3 teenage
boys in the 1970s while he was the live-in director of a group home
for youths, did not respond to Vyska's suit and apparently
has no assets. Still pending is Vyska's charge that the Augustinians
of the Assumption order knew or should have known that
Fredette took Vyska, then 15, to a New Hampshire cabin and raped him.
Sources: Springfield Union-News, 10/20/94;
Springfield Union-News, 10/7/94
New Jersey
Assembly of God Minister Guilty
A Linwood minister who had been in charge of children's activities at
the 250-member Mainland Assembly of God Church for
9 years pleaded guilty to molesting a girl parishioner. Richard L.
Kim, 29, admitted he molested the girl, 16. Source:
Philadelphia Inquirer, 9/9/94
'High Priest' Pleads Guilty
A man who lured 2 girls, 15, by claiming to be a high priest of the
Wicca religion, pleaded guilty to sexual assault and will be
evaluated at a hospital for sex offenders before sentencing. Carl
Truschel, 48, told the girls the crystals used in his sex acts were
part of a religious rite, according to prosecutors. Asst. Prosecutor
Steven M. Janosko downplayed the religious aspect of the
case. "This is simply a guy with a new line," he said. Source:
Philadelphia Inquirer, 9/30/94
Second Conviction For Priest
A Roman Catholic priest, William O'Connell, 72, pleaded guilty to new
charges of sexual assault, and was sentenced to 10
years at a treatment facility for sex offenders. While a priest in
Rhode Island, he had pleaded no contest to 26 felony
molestation charges in 1986 and served a year in prison. O'Connell was
named in a major Camden Diocese sex abuse civil
suit. This time O'Connell admitted photographing a boy, then 14, in
sexually explicit poses and touching himself sexually while
watching 2 boys, under 13, wash his car. Sources: Norwich Bulletin,
12/21/94; The Press of Atlantic City, 2/4/95
New Mexico
Church For Sale
A 37-year old retreat in Albuquerque's South Valley, one of 6 church
properties put on the market, was sold for $1 million to
help pay the costs of sexual abuse lawsuits that could ultimately
total more than $50 million. "It's a simple equation. The
cooperation of the insurance (companies) and the sale of properties is
what's going to settle these cases," the chancellor said.
Sources: Las Cruces Sun News, 9/8/94; The Daily Camera, 12/31/94
'Ground Zero' Has $0
Facing 135 lawsuits and as much as $50 million in claims, the Santa Fe
archdiocese has been called "ground zero" in the
explosion of sex-abuse charges. For 30 years, pedophile priests,
including convicted abuser James Porter, were sent to the
Servants of the Paraclete to be cured so they could continue their
priestly duties at other parishes, where some continued to
abuse children. Parishioners who feel betrayed by a church that hid
pedophilia crimes under black collars are now being asked
to save the church by raising money for the 70 lawsuits that await
settlement through bingo games and raffles. The diocese
covers about 300,000 people in 91 parishes throughout New Mexico,
where 40% of the state's 1.6 million people are
Catholic. But the new archbishop of New Mexico, Michael Sheehan, who
promises reform, contended that nothing will
jeopardize the church after meeting with a victim's mother who feels
betrayed: "Certainly we've lost some of the weaker
members . . . people whose faith was not very strong. It has provided
an excuse for them to walk away. But on the other hand,
those who are really Catholics, it's strengthened their belief."
Sources: Washington Post, 1/15/95; The Daily Camera,
12/31/94
Servants Of Paracletes Settle
The Servants of the Paraclete treatment center and 17 men, who
reported they were sexually abused as minors by Roman
Catholic priest David Holley, reached a settlement of a "very
substantial amount" of money. The center was named as a
defendant for releasing a pedophilia-prone Holley to perform duties at
various parishes on weekends. Source: San Antonio
Express-News, 10/5/94
New York
Catholic School Teacher Admits Sex Abuse
Former vice principal of Catholic Central High School in Troy, Brian
C. Buff, 28, of Loudonville, has admitted having oral sex
with a boy, 15. Buff was administrator in a New York City school when
allegations of sexual abuse of students surfaced. Buff
is facing criminal charges in 3 New York counties. Buff's
ex-girlfriend, Mary Ann Cioffi, 24, of Troy, was dismissed this winter
from Central Catholic High School as a math teacher, for
"unprofessional conduct" related to the alleged rape of the boy Buff
abused. Her charges are pending. Source: Gazette Reporter (Albany,
NY), 7/2/94
Ohio
Harsham Ousted
The priest who, with Cardinal Bernardin, was accused of sexually
molesting Stephen Cook, has been put on leave of absence
by the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Rev. Ellis Harsham, 52, has been
accused of molesting numerous students in the 1970s.
Sources: Post-Gazette (Pittsburgh, PA), 6/27/94; Express News (San
Antonio, TX), 6/29/94
Pennsylvania
Minister Convicted A 4th Time!
A self-ordained minister was convicted of sexually abusing a neighbor,
13, over an 8-month period and faces a mandatory
prison sentence of 5-10 years. Prosecutors said James E. Clark, 45,
coerced a boy into performing oral sex about twice a
week from July 1992 to February 1993. The boy testified Clark paid him
about $5 a day for the sex. The minister previously
served 8 years' probation for a sodomy conviction and a 3-6 year
conviction in the 1970s for involuntary deviate sexual
intercourse with a minor. In 1983, Clark was sentenced to 5 years for
sexually abusing a child in Houston.
Harrisburg Diocese Maintains Secrecy
The Harrisburg Roman Catholic Diocese said it has already made
payments of about $950,000 to victims of sexual misconduct
by priests. Bishop Nicholas C. Dattilo said in The Catholic Witness, a
diocesan newspaper, that the diocese has dealt with 13
reports of sexual abuse since 1950. Of these, he said 9 were
"confirmed," 3 were discharged and another is under investigation.
But the bishop said that he would not reveal the names of the parishes
where the sex crimes took place to maintain secrecy,
errr-ahem, confidentiality. Source: Tribune-Democrat, 11/12/94
Minister Raped Daughter
Rev. Joel Williams, 39, pleaded guilty to repeatedly raping the
teenage daughter he called his "pride and joy" from March 1990
until she ran away 4 years later at age 17. Prosecutors said the abuse
began a week after the death of his wife, the girl's mother.
Source: Tribune-Democrat, 11/18/94
Suit Settled After Priest's Death
Although Rev. Augustine died while awaiting charges of molesting a
girl, 14, and possessing child pornography, the Roman
Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg paid more than $900,000 to settle her
parent's civil suit. Giella had confessed after police had
found his pornographic photo collection and some of the girl's
personal items. Source: Patriot-News, 12/5/94
'I Made The Mistake To Dabble In Porn.'
A minister who blamed his pornography obsession on stress pleaded
guilty to federal child-pornography charges and faces a
maximum 15-year prison sentence. David Cable, 52, a Methodist from
Kernville, was charged with receiving and possessing a
videotape and photographs depicting minors in sexually explicit poses.
"Some persons deal with stress in healthy ways. Others
try more harmful responses such as alcohol or drugs," Cable said in a
statement. "I made the mistake to dabble in
pornography." Cable also is accused of writing sexually explicit
letters to the children. "May I see all of you naked and having
sex," one letter written in October said. All of the letters were
signed "Dr. Dave," according to police. Sources: York Daily
Record, 1/13/95; Tribune-Democrat, 1/12/95
Rhode Island
No Jail For Guilty Priest
A Roman Catholic priest, Rev. James Silva, 55, pleaded guilty to
sexually assaulting a man but will not serve time in jail
because of a plea bargain agreement. The agreement was drafted after
the victim, Russell Cote, said he did not care whether
Silva served time as long as he admitted guilt. Source: Hartford
Courant, 3/17/95
Priest Gets 5 Years' Probation
The lawyer of Rev. Joseph A. Abruzzese, 35, said his client should be
allowed to return to priestly duties after he pleaded no
contest to sexually assaulting a boy, 16, because it had "nothing" to
do with his duties at St. Anthony Church in North
Providence since the boy was not a parishioner. Abruzzese was
sentenced to 5 years' probation, ordered to participate in
counseling and prohibited from contacting the victim. Police said he
approached the boy in a park and exposed himself when
the boy refused his advances. Source: Journal-Bulletin, 9/24/94
Texas
Minister Exposed, Literally
A Baptist minister who signed a statement saying that he was guilty of
indecent exposure may be responsible for more than 12
incidents on the Texas Christian University campus. Gaylon Holt was
never formally charged but a professor said he saw Holt
fumbling with his zipper near a classroom window. Holt was charged
with disorderly conduct after he was caught exposing
himself to Southern Methodist University students in 1991. Source:
Chronicle of Higher Education, 9/28/94
'This Won't Happen Again.'
A Nolan Catholic High School principal who pleaded no contest to a
reduced disorderly conduct charge after his arrest for
fondling an undercover police officer in a park, has "shown that he's
overcome this and that this won't happen again," said a
district's attorney officer. Father David Jerome Paul, 57, who now
lives in St. Louis, was sentenced to 6 months' probation and
fined $200 for the misdemeanor. "He wishes to thank all of the people
who supported him and had faith in him and hopes that
the disposition of the case will confirm their faith in him," said his
lawyer. Source: Dallas Morning News, 2/11/95
Priest Sentenced
A victim, 15, and the mother of another victim told a judge that they
had lost all faith in the priesthood as a result of a priest's
abuse. Xavier Ortiz-Dietz, 48, was sentenced to 3 20-year prison terms
as part of a plea bargain. He pleaded "no contest" to
charges that he sometimes abused altar boys minutes before entering
the sanctuary to say Mass. Source: Spokesman Review,
8/17/94
Utah
Mormon Leader Pleads Guilty
The first Native American named as a Mormon general authority, George
P. Lee, 51, pleaded guilty to attempted sexual abuse
of a girl, now 17. He entered his plea as he was on the verge of being
tried on a felony charge of aggravated sexual abuse of
the girl, who lived across the street from him. Lee was sentenced to
18 months' probation, fined $1,850, and ordered to
undergo counseling and pay for his victim's counseling. Brother Lee
told her he had fallen in love with her, and that it was OK
with God, the girl reported. Sources: Arizona Republic, 10/12/94; Salt
Lake Tribune, 10/11/94
Washington
Four Priests Removed
An archdiocese took the unprecedented step of informing The Washington
Post that letters announcing that 4 priests had
sexually abused an altar boy in the 1970s would be read in the
parishes where the priests had served. "I think it's important that
the church deal with this painful, horrible topic openly," the
chancellor of The Archdiocese of Washington said. The archdiocese
removed the priests from their parishes and ordered them to undergo
6-9 months of inpatient treatment after they admitted to
sexually abusing an altar boy, now 34, about 20 years ago. The diocese
will pay for the treatment of Rev. Edward Hartell, 58,
Rev. Thomas Schaeffer, 69, Rev. Alphonsus Smith, 70, and Rev. Edward
Pritchard, 50. Sources: Seattle Times, 2/7/95;
Washington Post, 2/5/95
Minister Liable For Abusing Power
A jury said Rev. Albert Sweet, 68, a Methodist, twisted pastoral
counseling sessions with Rev. Kay Wright, 53, then a
congregation member, into a sexual relationship, exploiting the
counselor/careseeker relationship. The jury awarded $135,000
in damages to her.
Wright's attorney said Sweet abused his power when he mixed sex and
"false religiosity" to continue the relationship. He
handed Wright an article called "The Spirituality of Waiting," when
she questioned when he would divorce his wife. United
Methodist Church leaders refused the grievance plea of Wright's
husband in 1990, adhering to the church's 2-year statute of
limitations for filing grievances. Bishop Calvin McConnell, who sent
Wright home in 1991 when she came forward to file a
grievance, said he hoped victims will not hesitate to confide in him.
Source: Seattle Times, 2/12/95
Wisconsin
Victim's Family Blames Order
The family of a boy, now 13, is suing Dennis A. Pecore and the
Salvatorians in a suit that charges his religious order failed to
supervise Pecore adequately despite knowing about his previous 1987
conviction for molesting a boy, 15. Pecore is serving a
12-year sentence for the incidents, occurring between 1989-1992 at
Jordan House, where he was the coordinator of the
now-closed center for older priests. The boy, who occasionally spent
the night at Jordan House, was abused repeatedly by
Pecore, according to the suit. Source: Milwaukee Journal, 12/16/94
Archdiocese Sues Insurers
The Archdiocese of Milwaukee is suing 14 American and British
insurance companies for failing to make payments in 9 cases
alleging sexual misconduct by priests. The companies say the church's
awareness of the sexual misconduct releases any
responsibility. The archdiocesan lawsuit seeks compensatory damages
for settlements and attorney fees and punitive damages
for alleged breach of contract.
Archbishop Rembert Weakland, who set $2 million aside in 1993 to cover
potential damages, said the settlements have been
"a financial burden for the diocese." Due to insurers' increasing
restriction on sexual abuse coverage, many churches have found
difficulty in finding or renewing policies for coverage. "Every
diocese in the country right now has been stiffed by an insurance
company, and it comes to a question of bad faith when you count on
these insurance companies and they refuse to cover,"
Weakland said. Source: AP/Capital Times, 12/26/94
Woman Denied Compassion
After 27 years of repressing the painful memory, Patricia Marchant
recalled how the priest in her Catholic grade school chose
her, then 7, to deliver a carton of milk daily after Mass. Upon
delivery, the priest would strip himself of his collar, sexually
abusing her as the church bells rang.
In 1992, Marchant, who has counseled sexual abuse and incest victims
for 15 years, confronted the officials of the diocese
where she suffered abuse but found no compassion. "The message I got
was that this was dangerous. They didn't know how to
deal with it. They didn't want to deal with what this animal had done.
There was no human, compassionate response whatever."
Marchant contacted the priest with the assistance of her husband but
didn't file a lawsuit because she wanted to avoid the
anguish of a trial. She eventually met with her abuser in the presence
of attorneys. "He was stoic. He had a stone face through it
all. I remembered that face. I told the attorneys, 'Do you see this?
This is how he looked when he was violating me. This is evil,
this is the face of evil.' " Source: Milwaukee Sentinel, 3/18/95
Bible Teacher Sentenced
An instructor at Pembine Bible camp and Grace Evangelical Lutheran
church in Menomenee Falls, Fritz A. Callies, 61, has
been sentenced to 8 years in prison for sexually assaulting 2 girls,
ages 9 and 10. Over a dozen women have come forward
saying Callies abused them as girls. He was investigated in 1978 for
sex crimes, but was not charged. Source: Kenosha News,
7/17/94
On Sat, 08 Jan 2000 16:05:29 GMT, "Rev. Donald Spitz"
<Jesus...@ArmyofGod.com> wrote:
>Sick sex pervert homosexuals continue to molest children. Is is clear
>now why God wrote Leviticus 20:13 If a man also lie with mankind, as
>he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they
Yang
a.a.#28
EAC mole and other furry creatures
rev #-273.15, high priest of the most frigid church of Kelvin
"A few highly respected monotheists would have told me quietly and firmly that God did not really exist - and yet that "he" was the most important reality in the world."
-Karen Armstrong, "A History of God"
Al Klein
Harlos) wrote:
>Rev. Donald Spitz (in alt.atheism) posted:
>> Sick sex pervert homosexuals continue to molest children.
>If you
>continue to post such off-topic material, I shall be
>forced to complain to your ISP about your intentional
>disregard for the scope of subject matter in alt.atheism.
It's also off topic in alt.bible but, since I'm not posting from
there, I won't make a formal complaint. :)
--
Al - Unnumbered Atheist #infinity
aklein at villagenet dot com
Paul gate
Rev. Donald Spitz wrote in message <38776ECC...@ArmyofGod.com>...
>Sick sex pervert homosexuals continue to molest children. Is is clear
>now why God wrote Leviticus 20:13 If a man also lie with mankind, as
>he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they
>shall surely be put to death; their
>blood shall be upon them.
Perhaps this is going to surprise you..
There is no connection between homosexuality and pedephilia.
Nearly all pedophiles are male, but only two thirds of
victims are female... This would indicate that 1/3 of
pedophiles were gay, which is a higher rate than in the
general population
however Freund, Watson & Rienzo (1989) found that homosexuals
are not more likely than heterosexual men to become
pedophiles... in fact many pedophiles are indifferent to
the gender of their victim so long as the child is below a
certain age (Freund & kuban,1993).. this would explain the
disproportionate percentage of male victims.
Meteorite
writer of our times Rev. Donald Spitz<Jesus...@ArmyofGod.com> did
eloquently compose:
> Sick sex pervert homosexuals continue to molest children.
Sick sex pervert heterosexual Christian ministers continue to molest
children.
Why do you NOT call for criminal penalties against adultery which is
also condemned in Leviticus? Are we being selective about what is in
the buy bull to service our prejudices? Are we trying for a plonk?
Well we have succeeded.
========
Plonk!!!
========
--
alt.atheism #1417 rot-13 on email reply
Head of the EAC Decryption Squad -
Evil Atheist Conspiracy http://members.dingoblue.net.au/~meteorite/eac.htm
I don't believe in God because I don't believe in Mother Goose.
- Clarence Darrow, speech, Toronto, 1930
Fingerprint for PGP Keys at key server or go to
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Budikka
"Sick sex pervert homosexuals continue to molest children"
Final Warning to Rev Swallows:
This has nothing whatsoever to do with atheism and if you do not stop posting
your sick diatribes in this newsgroup I will personally report you to your ISP.
Obviously your own personal and latent child molesting dersires show clearly
through your sick and twisted obsession with this subject. Get a clue. Get a
life, and stop posting your sick garbage in this newsgroup - this is your last
warning.
Budikka - Fuck your god and the ass he rode in on
Puck Greenman
<Jesus...@ArmyofGod.com> wrote:
>Sick sex pervert homosexuals continue to molest children.
I think that this guy protests to much. Outrage at a child
being harmed it normal, and to be expected, but this chap
only seems to think it wrong, when it is a homosexual doing
the molesting.
Why do you think that is.
Puck #162
BAAWA Knight
GOC IC EAC Underwear Operations
We Can Realy Twist Your Knickers
The spelling, like any opinion
stated here, is purely my own.
Lars Eighner
In our last episode <387fc7ff...@news.cableinet.co.uk>,
the lovely and talented pu...@pooks.hill.fey (Puck Greenman)
broadcast on alt.atheism:
|On Sat, 08 Jan 2000 16:05:29 GMT, "Rev. Donald Spitz"
|<Jesus...@ArmyofGod.com> wrote:
|
|>Sick sex pervert homosexuals continue to molest children.
|
| I think that this guy protests to much. Outrage at a child
| being harmed it normal, and to be expected, but this chap
| only seems to think it wrong, when it is a homosexual doing
| the molesting.
| Why do you think that is.
I blame myself for this. And I regret it. I really do.
Now I know that heterosexuals, once they are mature enough
to attend an institution of higher education, never make
foolish sexual mistakes and all, so I will just have to ask
you not to judge me too harshly.
You see when I was in college, Don -- we called him Donny then --
roomed down the hall from me. And you know, I noticed he never,
ever dated. Well, one weekend my roommate went home, which was
a good thing since he never figured out how to do his own laundry
and he was getting a bit gamey. It got to be Saturday night and
I didn't have enough money really to go out. So I started looking
around the dorm, and there was Donny. He wasn't really very
attractive or anything, but since the weekend was otherwise
a total loss, I invited him to my room for a few brewskis just
to see what was up with him not dating women and all.
So after a couple of beers Donny seemed a lot more friendly
and I put my hand on his thigh and he doesn't move it, so
I'm figuring it is about time to make my next move. But,
Donny has this problem. It's like Bingo! for him before
he's even pulled out his card, if you know what I mean.
And he's all apologetic about it and everything. So, I
give him another beer and he goes all weepy and tells
me the story of his life which took about two minutes
being basically this: that he really, really likes girls
but he had one date in high school -- and it was pretty
much the same thing, like Bingo!, but it was his misfortune
that his date considered it her duty to be like a major
reviewer of male sexual performance and he didn't exactly
get four stars and by noon the next day, everyone knew it.
Well, I felt a lot of pity for him because was nineteen and
just hadn't had any real success, and all. So after a
couple of more beers, I suggested that since he wasn't
all wound up anymore, maybe things would go better if
we tried it again. And he was all grateful and stuff because
no one had ever given him a second chance. Well, you
know, I was young and I was not really very good at being
unselfish and all, but I really exerted myself to try
to give him the impression that he was doing well
and told all sorts of lies, like he wasn't really
hung like a hampster or anything. And when it was
obvious that he had just had the best experience of
his whole life, I just sort of fell asleep.
So when I wake up in the morning he is trying to whip
himself with his belt and he's weeping and wailing
because, he says, I have turned him into a queer and
JEE-zus will never forgive and all that crap. And
so I try to tell him he doesn't have to consider himself
a fag because, like just because you go into a restaurant
have a salad that you find really tasty doesn't make
you a vegetarian. But that doesn't go over real well.
Then he remembers that I am a month and a half older
than he is. And he figures that since he was almost
totally a virgin like a little child and I was a
month and a half older, it must be like I am a child
molester. And that was when he decided, like, all
fags must be child molesters. And he just wouldn't
stop ranting. And he hasn't stopped yet.
So, I'm sorry everyone. If I had known, I would never
have done it.
--
Lars Eighner 700 Hearn #101 Austin TX 78703 eig...@io.com
(512) 474-1920 (FAX answers 6th ring) http://www.io.com/%7Eeighner/
bookstore: http://www.io.com/%7Eeighner/bookstore/
*** EAC Official Seal of Veracity ***
TheCentralSc...@pobox.com
>Rev. Donald Spitz (in alt.atheism) posted:
>>
>
>homosexuals and heterosexuals.
>
>Your opening sentence, above, could therefore be modified
>to read, "Sick sex perverts ... molest children." Whether
>the perpetrator is hetero- or homo- sexual makes little
>difference: molesting a child is molesting a child.
However, it is ok when the molester is a priest.
yang hu
come up with 50.
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ao/20000105/cr/20000105012.html
AURORA, Ill. (APBnews.com) -- A 60-year-old Catholic priest accused of
molesting two altar boys in California more than
a decade ago has agreed to head west to answer the charges.
The Rev. Edward Lawrence Ball, who is on electronic monitoring and
living in the Society of the Missionaries of Sacred
Heart's U.S. headquarters here, is expected to make contact with his
California attorney and surrender to the San Bernardino
County Superior Court in California before Jan. 15, officials said
today.
"We'll see if that happens. I expect that it will," San Bernardino
County Supervising Deputy District Attorney Dwight Moore
said.
'Goes beyond mere fondling'
Ball faces 26 counts of child molestation for allegedly assaulting
two victims, now in their late 20s, when they served as his
altar boys between 1978 and 1985 at Our Lady of Fatima in San
Bernardino, Moore said. The men approached authorities
about the alleged assaults in September 1997.
Moore's office prosecuted the priest for similar allegations in 1993,
when he was living in Texas and agreed to return to
California. A jury convicted him of fondling three altar boys, aged
11 to 13, while working as a parish priest and sentenced
him to probation and counseling.
Moore didn't want to discuss the particulars of the new allegations,
but told APBnews.com, "It goes beyond mere fondling at
this point."
Aurora police arrested Ball in October as a fugitive from justice
from San Bernardino, but he has been free since November
after posting 10 percent of a $25,000 bond, which sparked the
decision to let him return to California on his own
recognizance.
"He's already out of jail. If he's going to run, he can run.
Electronic monitoring won't stop that. But he hasn't done that,"
Moore said.
Ruling abolished statute of limitations
David E. Camic, Ball's attorney in Aurora, told APBnews.com that he
had initially planned to fight the extradition, but since
California law requires a defendant to be present to contest the
allegations, he and California attorney Phil Kassel thought it
would be best for Ball to surrender.
"We realized that the best place to fight this would be in
California," he said.
However, Camic said he still believes the allegations are baseless.
"Have you seen how old these charges are? This is unfair.
It's a ridiculous use of the court's time," he said.
Child molestation cases used to have a statute of limitations in
California until the state Supreme Court in August overruled a
1994 statute not to allow new prosecutions in cases that allegedly
took place prior to 1988.
Alleged victims lost civil case
Camic said that the two alleged victims, who sued Ball in a civil
court and lost, were now seeking retribution through the
criminal justice system.
Moore wasn't familiar with any civil litigation, but rejected what he
called the "sour grapes theory."
After his 1993 conviction, Ball allegedly told his probation officer
that he had molested other children, Moore said. What the
two alleged victims told authorities in 1997 is consistent with
Ball's account, he said.
"We would have prosecuted him in 1993 if we knew who these kids were
and where they were. We would have liked to do
everything at once," Moore said.
But prosecutors decided to pursue the case because "the conduct
alleged is more serious than in the 1993 case."
By Valerie Kalfrin, an APBnews.com staff writer
(valerie...@apbnews.com)
PHandlson
>
>Sick sex pervert homosexuals continue to molest children. Is is clear
>Sick sex pervert homosexuals continue to molest children. Is is clear
>now why God wrote Leviticus 20:13 If a man also lie with mankind, as
>he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they
>shall surely be put to death; their
>blood shall be upon them.
Don, can you please stop saying this? The vast majority of child molestors are
straight, and there are more child molesting priests than child molesting gays.
And most gays are not pedophiles as you seem to think. Putting gays to death,
as you seem to think they deserve, would not stop child molesting; it would
continue and you would have eliminated one percent of child molesting.
Dolf Boek
However, it is ok when the molester is a priest.
DOLF BOEK RESPONDS:
Funny you should say that. In our state (Victoria, Australia) the
anti-discrimination laws allow (by explicit exemption) for religionists to
discriminate against anyone attributed within the act, if it is to comply
with their 'religious principle and belief'.
The one section of legislation from which we are granted reprieve from their
hymeneal occultism, is in the area of molestation.
[Baal-poer of the Trans-Jordanic region, may be equated with Priapus the
Greek and Roman god of procreation. From whence is derived the terms
'priapism' meaning: a persistent painful erection of the penis and
'priapiskos' as an anal dilator and suppository ref: Pausanias, Description
of Greece, 9.31.2, Crane, Gregory R. (ed.) The Perseus Project,
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu, January, 2000]
--
Dolf Boek
Winner: 1997 Rainbow Community Award - "Leadership by gay male"
Author: 'The Sodomite Prophecy' http://www.users.bigpond.com/dolfboek
Email: dolf...@bigpond.com
Was it Pythagorus or Yahweh Elohiym who said, 'Your days are numbered'?
© 1999, The Metaphysical Is-rælities, All Rights Reserved
Dr Sinister
<387a3944...@news.service.uci.edu>:
>That's right Spitzy, For every non-christian crime you can name I can
>come up with 50.
I bet you could, since you probably know more about the history of
communism in China than Spitz does.
(snip)
--
"Men are so necessarily mad, that not to be mad
would amount to another form of madness" - Pascal
yang hu
wrote:
>yangh@***uci***.edu (yang hu) wrote in
><387a3944...@news.service.uci.edu>:
>
>>That's right Spitzy, For every non-christian crime you can name I can
>>come up with 50.
>
>I bet you could, since you probably know more about the history of
>communism in China than Spitz does.
[yawn]
And this is supposed to be a putdown? I'm from Taiwan, and I can name
atrocities commited under the Chang Kai Shek (who happened to be
Christian, IIRC) as well as atrocities commited under Mao.
It was the KMT's corruption, brutality and incompetence that led the
Chinese communist to wrest power from the them in the first place.
That the communists were became no less unjust than their predecessor
was one of those historical ironies.
I realize you were trying make light of my somewhat ambiguous
statement, but I figure you might as well learn something new, Arvin.
Karol Wojtyla
I don't think Spit cares, he has his little crusade which he beat
himself into a lather over - and that's what counts.
Karol Wojtyla
wrote:
Again the strawman of linking homosexuality to pedophilia raises its
ugly head, when will bigoted Xers tire of it?
>On Sat, 08 Jan 2000 17:15:28 GMT, Richard Harlos <rha...@adel.phianet> wrote:
>>Rev. Donald Spitz (in alt.atheism) posted:
>>>
>>> Sick sex pervert homosexuals continue to molest children.
>>
>>Mr. Spitz, the fact is that children are molested by both
>>homosexuals and heterosexuals.
>>
>>Your opening sentence, above, could therefore be modified
>>to read, "Sick sex perverts ... molest children." Whether
>>the perpetrator is hetero- or homo- sexual makes little
>>difference: molesting a child is molesting a child.
>
>However, it is ok when the molester is a priest.
The good Rev seems rather obsessed with homosexuals, I wonder why that
could be? I would leave a child in the care of a homosexual far more
readily than with the likes of hate monger and bigot Rev Spit.
Shane Keleher
for his soul.
"Rev. Donald Spitz" wrote:
>
> Sick sex pervert homosexuals continue to molest children. Is is clear
> now why God wrote Leviticus 20:13 If a man also lie with mankind, as
> he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they
> shall surely be put to death; their
> blood shall be upon them.
Puck Greenman
wrote:
>Was it Pythagorus or Yahweh Elohiym who said, 'Your days are numbered'?
I thought it was the bloke who invented the calendar
raven1
>On Tue, 11 Jan 2000 15:56:03 GMT
>Shane Keleher <skele...@home.com> wrote:
>-- origin: alt.atheism:
>
>
>>|The only thing that Rev. Donald "spits" is garbage and hatred. I'll pray
>>|for his soul.
>
>Does "it" have one? Oops, I meant "he". ;-)
You were right the first time, erikc.
erikc
>|The only thing that Rev. Donald "spits" is garbage and hatred. I'll pray
>|for his soul.
Does "it" have one? Oops, I meant "he". ;-)
>|"Rev. Donald Spitz" wrote:
>|>
[snip tired drivel]
Mark K. Bilbo
>
> Sick sex pervert homosexuals continue to molest children. Is is clear
> now why God wrote Leviticus 20:13 If a man also lie with mankind, as
> he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they
> shall surely be put to death; their
> blood shall be upon them.
Gee Donny, you sure are fascinated by pedophillia. It's all you talk
about.
_______________________________________________________________
Mark K. Bilbo Atheist #1423 "Disbelieving since 1994!"
EAC Department of Linguistic Subversion
Member, American Atheists, Inc.
_______________________________________________________________
For men become civilized, not in proportion to their
willingness to believe, but in proportion to their readiness
to doubt.
--- H.L. Mencken
_______________________________________________________________
You can only email me by being down to earth.
The Mad Doctor
>Sick sex pervert homosexuals continue to molest children. Is is clear
>now why God wrote Leviticus 20:13 If a man also lie with mankind, as
>he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they
>shall surely be put to death; their
>blood shall be upon them.
>Our children need to be protected from these sex perverts. Man coerced
>student Affidavit: Ex-principal demanded sexual act
> after showing gay porn By Kevin McCullen
> Denver Rocky Mountain News Staff Writer
Of course this is one anecdoatal piece of evidence, as if there aren't
straight pedophiles and rapists out there too.
Apparently Rev Spitz can condemn anything he likes based on the action
of a single person, how convenient, how judgemental, how Christian.
Grant
Steve Scott
molesting a little girl placed in his care. He and his wife had fought
for foster care custody of the girl...and had the child taken away from
two gay men.
Now, Spitz...do you think these gay men would have molested that little
girl? Do you think they would have turned her into a lesbian? If so,
how?
But no...she's placed in a christian home where she's raped by the
male.
You see...molestation goes both ways.
Please not that the MAJORITY of molestations are heterosexual in
nature.
Al Klein
>All sexual immorality is sin, whether it is from heterosexuals or homosexuals!
>Sexual lust is one of Satan's tools. He doesn't just choose gays to do his dirty
>work!
>God save us from sexual perverts! and lust!
And bleaters!
Henry
Sexual lust is one of Satan's tools. He doesn't just choose gays to do his dirty
work!
God save us from sexual perverts! and lust!
Steve Scott wrote:
--
*~*~*
"And we all shine on, like the Moon and the Stars and the Sun" ~ John Lennon
http://www.angelfire.com/in2/harmony
"From the End of the World to Your Town" ~ Elton John/Bernie Taupin
"All I want is the Truth ~ Just give me some Truth!" ~ John Lennon
Steve Scott
>
> All sexual immorality is sin, whether it is from heterosexuals or homosexuals!
> Sexual lust is one of Satan's tools. He doesn't just choose gays to do his dirty
> work!
>
> God save us from sexual perverts! and lust!
Hey, I like the idea of taking pedophiles and castrating them...don't
get me wrong. But lust in general? It strikes me as a perfectly
natural thing.
Henry...you've got issues. Deep, deep issues.
SCS
Thomas P.
>All sexual immorality is sin, whether it is from heterosexuals or homosexuals!
>Sexual lust is one of Satan's tools. He doesn't just choose gays to do his dirty
>work!
>
>God save us from sexual perverts! and lust!
Perhaps cloning is the answer. That's it! Cloning is God's gift to
save us from the terrible burden of lust. Then again maybe your ideas
about sex and lust are perverted.
>
>
>
>Steve Scott wrote:
>
snip
Superstitions are the foolish beliefs of other people
lynx
Hash: SHA1
On Wed, 19 Jan 2000 00:09:45 +0000, Henry <har...@net.ntl.com> wrote:
>All sexual immorality is sin, whether it is from heterosexuals or
>homosexuals! Sexual lust is one of Satan's tools. He doesn't just
>choose gays to do his dirty work!
>God save us from sexual perverts! and lust!
since this seems to be a problem much on your mind, may i recommend
castration? it has been shown to drastically reduce lust in a vast
majority of cases.
- --
PGP/GnuPG key (ID 1024D/BFE0D6D0) available from keyservers everywhere
"I've lived too long with pain. I won't know who I am without it."
-- _Ender's Game_, Orson Scott Card
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walks...@earthlink.net
>-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
>Hash: SHA1
>On Wed, 19 Jan 2000 00:09:45 +0000, Henry <har...@net.ntl.com> wrote:
>>All sexual immorality is sin, whether it is from heterosexuals or
>>homosexuals! Sexual lust is one of Satan's tools. He doesn't just
>>choose gays to do his dirty work!
>>God save us from sexual perverts! and lust!
>since this seems to be a problem much on your mind, may i recommend
>castration? it has been shown to drastically reduce lust in a vast
Slowlllllly backs away from monitor while crossing hands in front of
crotch. The concepts hurts so bad I beleive I'll have a beer, make that
a case. Please remind me not to get you ill at me, pretty please with
green persimmon juice on top.
>majority of cases.
Snipped PGP sig block
walksalone
STD DIALUP
: >
: > All sexual immorality is sin, whether it is from heterosexuals or homosexuals!
: > Sexual lust is one of Satan's tools. He doesn't just choose gays to do his dirty
: > work!
: >
: > God save us from sexual perverts! and lust!
Get a gun & save yourself.
Speedbyrd
wrote:
Save us from KKKristianity!
The SpeedbyrdŽ :>
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