Lawyer for sex abuse survivors reacts to Catholic Church investigation
A lawyer who represents sexual abuse survivors within the Catholic Church reacted Friday to the Missouri attorney general’s investigation.
Attorney General Eric Schmitt is referring a dozen former clergy members for potential criminal prosecution.
The 13-month investigation looked at religious leaders within the Archdiocese of St. Louis and the dioceses of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Springfield-Cape Girardeau and Jefferson City.
Richard Serbin, a lawyer at Janet, Janet & Suggs LLC, has worked with survivors of sexual abuse for more than three decades.
“I’ve been handling child sexual abuse cases involving the clergy since 1987,” Serbin said.
The investigation, released Friday, accused 163 clergy members of sexual abuse or misconduct. Eighty are still alive, and the statute of limitations has run out for many of the alleged crimes.
Serbin said the statute of limitations can make prosecution difficult.
“They escape punishment, and of course the longer they’re able to go, the more children that are violated,” he said.
The investigation lists recommendations to the Catholic Church, such as addressing a lack of oversight of religious order priests.
Bishop Shawn McKnight of the Diocese of Jefferson City released a statement Friday and said he’ll consider the recommendations.
“It is my sincere hope the report assists the Catholic Church in Missouri in achieving our goals of accountability and transparency, while respecting the legal standards for privacy of all affected by the report,” McKnight said.
