A recent report by the Associated Press illustrates the challenges many retired priests are facing in the wake of the many allegations of sex crimes in Los Angeles.
Pasadena sex crimes attorneys understand that -- more than with any other type of crime -- the allegations of a sex crime can be devastating. Certainly a substantial number of priests have been found to have acted inappropriately with children, and they must deal with the punishment imposed. But there have also been a large number of priests caught up in the fray who are undoubtedly wrongly accused. Or whose cases cannot, and will never be, proven beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
It is those priests the Associated Press article deals with. And it is clear by the tone that some are being presumed guilty despite never having their day in court. One such case involves a 78-year-old priest who lives in a doublewide mobile home near several daycare centers and schools.
Victims advocates from Maryland to California claim these priests are a danger to society. In fact, they have no rights to make such a claim and could be held civilly liable for doing so. Here, setting aside the very real problem of priests who have abused their authority, you have the opposite problem: The passive nature of the accused in many of these cases will preclude them from asserting their rights, which will do nothing but assure that they are victimized as well. One of the benefits of hiring a Pasadena criminal defense lawyer experienced in aggressively defending clients against allegations of sex crimes is that they understand the fight must also be waged in the court of public opinion.
They have no right to confront these priests at home, in retirement. Still, the whereabouts of 200 priests accused in civil suits have been confirmed by victims advocates. Fifty former priests and religious brothers are from the L.A. archdiocese and live and work in 37 towns across California.
Advocates hope to use the information as part of a witch hunt -- it can only be called a witch hunt at this point -- to convince a judge to force the church to release the file of every priest or religious brother who has ever been accused of sexual abuse. Keep in mind the church, in the nation's largest archdiocese, has already agreed to pay a record $660 million.
The priest example is a high-profile example, but unfortunately, it is not an extreme example. Those convicted -- indeed, even those accused -- of sex crimes often face a different standard of prosecution and a different standard in public. Choosing an attorney who understands those challenges -- and who has successfully defended against them -- is critical to protecting your rights.
If you need to speak to a sex crimes attorney in Pasadena, contact the California Legal Team at (310) 497-0321 to discuss your rights.
