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Friday 7 September 2018

New York Catholic dioceses subpoenaed in sex abuse probe

By DAVID KLEPPER the dioceses,” Underwood,
Associated Press a Democrat, said in a state-
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New ment. “Victims in New York
York and New Jersey deserve to be heard as well
launched new investi- - and we are going to do
gations into the Roman everything in our power to
Catholic Church’s han- bring them the justice they
dling of clergy sex abuse deserve.”
allegations Thursday as the Albany Bishop Edward
number of similar inquiries Scharfenberger proactive-
around the country contin- ly asked Albany County Dis-
ues to grow. trict Attorney David Soares
In New York, the state’s at- to review his diocese’s re-
torney general issued sub- cords on Thursday, before
poenas to all eight of the the subpoena from Under-
state’s Catholic dioceses wood was received.
seeking any and all docu- “We have to do what is
ments pertaining to allega- right, even if it is not easy,”
tions, findings from internal Scharfenberger wrote in
church investigations and a letter to parishioners an-
payments to victims, ac- nouncing his request.
cording to a law enforce- The subpoenas come three
ment source familiar with weeks after a grand jury in-
the investigation but not People pass the Archdiocese of New York, in New York, Thursday, Sept. 6, 2018. vestigation found rampant
authorized to speak pub- Associated Press sexual abuse of more than
licly. dioceses of Albany, Brook- er with her in the investiga- vestigators can answer a 1,000 children by about 300
Church leaders confirmed lyn, Rochester, Syracuse, tion,” New York archdio- question that’s haunted priests in Pennsylvania.
receipt of the subpoenas Buffalo, Ogdensburg and cese spokesman Joseph him for decades: “What Florida attorney Michael
and vowed to work with Rockville Centre. Zwilling said. did the diocese of Brooklyn Dolce is an expert on
Attorney General Barbara “It is not a surprise to us that Underwood’s office is pur- know and when did they abuse cases and success-
Underwood’s civil inves- the attorney general would suing a civil investigation know it?” fully pushed lawmakers in
tigation — as well as any look to begin a civil inves- into the church’s response Even if investigators do find his state to relax the statute
potential criminal investi- tigation, and she will find to abuse reports and has evidence of past abuse, of limitations on civil and
gations to come. The sub- the archdiocese of New also reached out to lo- many victims in New York criminal child sex abuse al-
poenas were issued to the York, and the other seven cal prosecutors, who are may have little legal re- legations. He summed up
Archdiocese of New York in dioceses in the state, ready authorized to convene course. That’s because Underwood’s decision to
New York City as well as the and eager to work togeth- grand juries or pursue crimi- the state currently has one subpoena the state’s dio-
nal investigations. In New of the strictest laws in the ceses as “huge and wel-
York the attorney general nation when it comes to comed.” Dolce, of the firm
doesn’t have that power, allowing victims to sue or Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll,
so the involvement of local press criminal charges. is also abuse survivor.
district attorneys would be Jimenez and other ad- “It shows a determination
critical to any criminal pros- vocates have for years to see if what happened
ecutions. urged lawmakers to relax in Pennsylvania also hap-
In New Jersey, state Attor- the state’s statute of limi- pened in New York,” he
ney General Gurbir Gre- tations and create a one- said. “I shudder to think
wal announced a new task year window for civil suits about what they will find.”
force that will look at how now barred by the law. The New Jersey’s task force will
abuse allegations were bill has repeatedly been be led by Robert Laurino, a
handled in the seven dio- blocked by the Republican former Essex Country pros-
ceses in that state. leaders of the state Senate, ecutor. The panel will have
The developments in the but Jimenez said he and the power to establish a
two neighboring states others will keep trying to grand jury and issue sub-
come after attorneys gen- get legislation passed. poenas.
eral in Nebraska, Illinois Underwood and Grewal The conference, which rep-
and Missouri recently an- also announced hotlines resents the state’s bishops,
nounced investigations for individuals to report al- stressed that since 2002 the
into allegations of clergy legations of clergy abuse. church has complied with
abuse or cover ups in local The numbers are 855-363- a memorandum of under-
dioceses. 6548 in New Jersey and standing with the attorney
“I’m elated, but my elation 800-771-7755 in New Jer- general and all 21 county
is tempered by how long sey. New York has also set prosecutors in New Jersey
it has taken to get here,” up a confidential online that every abuse com-
said Steve Jimenez, a lead- complaint form that can plaint would be forwarded
ing advocate for survivors be found at ag.ny.gov/ to law enforcement.
in New York who says a ClergyAbuse. “One thing I want to em-
Roman Catholic brother “The Pennsylvania grand phasize is that New Jersey
repeatedly assaulted him jury report shined a light on is not Pennsylvania - more
when he was a child at- incredibly disturbing and than the Delaware River
tending Catholic school in depraved acts by Catholic separates us,” said confer-
Brooklyn. clergy, assisted by a culture ence executive director
Jimenez said he hopes in- of secrecy and cover ups in Patrick Brannigan.q