Yesterday’s LA Times told the story of Edward Courtney, former Irish Christian Brother who is accused of molesting upwards of 50 kids. He’s living “under the radar” in Hawaii. The bigger story is that EVERY cleric in Hawaii who has been accused of abuse (including former Bishop Joseph Ferrario) lives or has lived under the…Continue reading Hawaii Diocese knows who the predators are. They just won’t tell us.
I wasn’t joking when I said it was a big day for the Hawaii civil window for victims of child sexual abuse. First, we found out that the Diocese of Honolulu is suing its insurer, exposing the fact there are 60 sex abuse lawsuits against the diocese, 29 of which have been…Continue reading Hawaii civil window update, part II: Kamehameha Schools get slammed
60 sex abuse cases 29 settlements 1 stingy insurance company Things have been pretty quiet in Hawaii. And because of a new lawsuit, we now know why. The Diocese of Honolulu today sued one of its insurers, First Insurance Insurance of Hawaii, for refusing “to honor commitments made in liability policies it…Continue reading Hawaii Civil Window update
Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie just signed a law that extends Hawaii’s two-year civil window for sex abuse victims. But there’s more: victims in public schools are NOW eligible for accountability under the new law. For the first time, sex offenders in public schools and the people who covered up for them—including powerful unions and other gov’t…Continue reading Big News: Hawaii Civil Window for child sex abuse victims EXTENDED; Includes public schools
From today’s Hawaii Star-Advertiser: Bills seek more time to file suit Expanding the current two-year window, which expires next month, is unfair to the accused entities, critics argue By Derrick DePledge POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Mar 23, 2014 “Did you know these men?” The question appeared in an ad in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser last Sunday…Continue reading Hawaii: Bills may give more victims chance for justice
Attorney Jeff Anderson and I discuss Hawaii’s civil window for victims and its upcoming April 24 deadline. Hawaii News Now – KGMB and KHNL
Tune in to Hawaii’s KGMB (CBS) Tuesday at 7:20am (Hawaii Standard Time). I’ll be live on Hawaii News Now Sunrise, talking about Hawaii’s civil window for victims of abuse and abuse prevention. You can watch the livestream here. (FYI – Hawaii does not have Daylight Savings Time)
How about some GOOD news out of a state legislature? Hawaii State Legislature has TWO ground-breaking, victim-friendly bills that have just passed committee. Why the legislative attention? The current Hawaii Civil Window, which closes in April, has opened lawmakers’ eyes to the problem of child sex abuse and cover-up across the state. Fortunately, these same…Continue reading Hawaii Legislative Update
Hawaii’s state deputy attorney general determined that a $1.5 million grant intended for Damien Memorial School is unconstitutional. According to the Honolulu Civil Beat: Deputy Attorney General Randall Nishiyama’s memo, dated Sept. 3, 2013, notifies Mercado Kim that the grant for Kalihi’s Damien Memorial School violates a provision in Hawaii’s constitution prohibiting the state from contributing public money to…Continue reading Damien grant unconstitutional, says Hawaii AG
Here’s a sad, sad story from today’s Honolulu Star Advertiser. Honolulu’s Bishop Clarence Silva blames victims for not coming forward to him, his predecessors for covering things up, enemies of the church who “capitalize on this very real problem,” proponents of gay marriage, pro-life advocates, and just about everyone else. Really? Since when do the…Continue reading Hawaii bishop starts the finger pointing game
For immediate release: Wednesday, June 13, 2012 Hawaii bishop accused of molesting boy New sex abuse and cover-up lawsuit is filed This is the 2nd victim to name Ferrario as offender Diocese knew and covered up allegations, lawsuit says New state law lets victims expose abusers & protect kids In a new civil lawsuit using…Continue reading BREAKING: Former Hawaii bishop accused of molesting boy
The first lawsuit under Hawaii’s landmark civil window was filed yesterday in Hawaii Circuit Court. The lawsuit (posted here) charges that Fr. Gerald Funcheon sexually abused a 13-year-old boy at Damien Memorial School in 1983/1984 during an overnight retreat on the eastern shore of Oahu. Considering Funcheon’s history (you can read some of the documents here), we…Continue reading **UPDATED**FIRST HAWAII LAWSUIT FILED** Gerald Funcheon: A missing priest appears ….
From the Maryland Daily Record: A 456-page report from the Maryland Attorney General’s Office identifies 158 Catholic priests accused of sexual abuse, including 43 that were never publicly named by the Archdiocese of Baltimore, as part of a four-year investigation into the history of child sexual abuse by members of the clergy. The investigation also…Continue reading Maryland: 158 abusers, 600 victims
Over the weekend, Catholic hymn composer, performer, and youth conference organizer David Haas was dropped by his publisher after the company learned the musician was under investigation by the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis for sexual battery and other offenses. Haas also ran a music camp for teens called Music Ministry Alive, which according…Continue reading EXCLUSIVE: Catholic composer accused of sexual battery worked with known predator for years
Legislative work can be complicated. Take my word for it. And sometimes the hardest decision to make is the best one: if a law protects predators, it’s not a good law. That is what happened in Colorado. And Colorado did the right thing. Yesterday, the sponsors of a potential law to help future victims of…Continue reading Colorado: Refusing to settle for a second rate law
Part Four in a multi-part series ~ Previous post The enemy of sex abuse and cover-up is the light of truth: Statute of Limitation Reform. Why? Because civil justice—properly executed—demands that such behavior be uncovered and made public. Predators AND the institutional cover-up that enables predators to flourish are EXPOSED. Law enforcement can put bad…Continue reading Class Action Sex Abuse Lawsuits Part 4: Class Actions vs. IRCPs
UPDATED 5/24 PA’s Catholic Dioceses receive copies of 884-page report. Public release slated for June. PA’s Catholic Dioceses have said they “won’t block the release” of the Grand Jury report. Bishop says that the report contains information that is “difficult to hear.” UPDATED 5/9 Bishop Trautman Smells Blood in the Water – His Own…Continue reading UPDATED 5/18: PA State Grand Jury Investigates Six Catholic Dioceses: What you need to know
The Georgia State Legislature is trying to pass a bill to help adult victims of child sexual abuse. The legislation, dubbed the “Hidden Predator Act,” extends the statute of limitations for victims from age 23 to 38, and creates other avenues for adults to sue long after that age. This is not groundbreaking legislation. It…Continue reading Wilton Gregory’s REAL message to Georgia…
Rita Milla had a horror story. It was a story that no one could believe. It was 1978. The California teenager said she was being sexually abused by seven priests from the Philippines. She was 16. Who would believe a horrible story like that? The abuse continued. Then she got pregnant. One of the priests,…Continue reading What’s going on in the Philippines, Part Two: The Horror Story
Fr. Justin Wachs was hiding out. After getting caught sexually harassing a parishioner in 2014—touching her without permission and leaving her suggestive notes— he quit his job as pastor in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Church officials thought the “geographic solution” would be best: get him as far away from Sioux Falls as possible. They even…Continue reading Apuron’s victims: Locked in a room with a priest on a run