Posted on 10/15/2019 5:46:20 PM PDT by marshmallow
Stephen Brady: 'Los Angeles archdiocese will be one of the biggest hit in the country'
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (ChurchMilitant.com) - California just became the sixth state to drop its statute of limitations for victims of child sexual abuse.
The law signed on Sunday by California's Gov. Gavin Newsom gives all victims of childhood sexual abuse a three-year period beginning Jan. 1 to file lawsuits. Following that period, the new law will extend the age limit of the victim filing from 26 to 40 and the time limit of when the abuse is discovered to when the case is filed from three to five years.
Church Militant reached out to Stephen Brady, head of watchdog organization Roman Catholic Faithful, on the impact this law will have on the Church in California.
"This situation in California will make New York and other states that passed similar laws look like small-time cases," remarked Brady. He then explained:
When I was in the Los Angeles archdiocese 20 years ago working on the Cdl. Mahony situation, there were so many cases with so many payouts that I'm sure the Los Angeles archdiocese will be one of the biggest hit in the country. The Santa Rosa diocese and Fresno diocese can't be very far behind.
Seattle-based attorney Michael Pfau says he has some 100 victims of childhood sexual abuse already waiting to file. Lawsuits will be launched against many sectors of society including the Boy Scouts, foster homes, schools and the Catholic Church, acknowledged Pfau.
"Almost every Catholic Diocese in the state" will be hit, said Pfau. "The breadth of it is staggering."
(Excerpt) Read more at churchmilitant.com ...
anything to generate more legal fees for one’s friends
A classic ex post facto law. Don’t read into this post more than that.
Sex crime cases are the reason statutes of limitations exist, not a reason there should be exceptions to them. You’re opening a pandora’s box extending the time you have to fling an accusation for stuff like this to infinity.
Could this law also apply to Hollywood molestation cases of the past?
Probably so.
One would think this is a great idea. The reality is that this is only for nefarious reasons.
Thank law enforcement for this, and nobody else.
For decades, they didn’t even bother to investigate sexual abuse of children most of the time.
Many cases still won’t be, as they weren’t even logged when parents went down to the station. But a lot of them were.
Think of this as a massive donutwatch thread.
You might read up on what happened with the neo pagan and fantasy author Marion Zimmer Bradley’s kids as a typical example. Pay close attention to who the father was and note that the cops still never really investigated at the time.
Most of these cases will still produce nothing, as evidence wasn’t kept even where it was taken...and witnesses grew old and died.
Oh Schiff!
How does one defend themselves against a 30 year old accusation? Other than deny it - and they would do that whether they were innocent or guilty. It is a denial of a speedy trial.
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