September 12, 2012 · 6:49 pm

Abuse and Murder

Last October, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court affirmed a stay of execution for death row inmate Terry Williams, the childhood victim of severe physical and sexual abuse, acknowledged to have killed two of his abusers as a teen.

The Williams case raises questions about the death penalty, because of prosecutorial misconduct. It, also, illustrates the complexity of issues facing jurors in cases of abuse.

No one has argued for Williams’ release, merely that he be shown the mercy his abusers failed to exercise toward him.

FOR MORE OF MY ARTICLES ON POVERTY, POLITICS, AND MATTERS OF CONSCIENCE CHECK OUT MY BLOG A LAWYER’S PRAYERS AT:  http://www.alawyersprayers.com

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August 29, 2012 · 6:42 pm

Ignorance and Evil

In Texas, the first of a series of cases is being tried involving an 11 y.o. girl raped by 20 men and boys, over a period of months. Some actually blame the girl.  In NY, a 16 y.o. killed the 5 y.o. granddaughter of a woman who had been kind to him.

Little can be said in the face of such ignorance and evil.

FOR MORE OF MY ARTICLES ON POVERTY, POLITICS, AND MATTERS OF CONSCIENCE CHECK OUT MY BLOG A LAWYER’S PRAYERS AT:  http://www.alawyersprayers.com

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August 26, 2012 · 5:46 pm

Kiddie Pageants

A kiddie pageant mother who padded her four year old daughter’s chest and bottom to simulate Dolly Parton is now in a custody dispute with the child’s father.

It is difficult to say whether kiddie pageants are more disturbing or the so called “reality” shows based around them.  To many of us, the pageants are a short step away from kiddie porn.  Clearly, children should not be sexualized so early.

The adults operating and parents participating in such pageants take the view that the activity is harmless — even positive — for the children taking part.

Young children are not, of course, aware why they are being encouraged to gyrate and smile on cue.  They simply do or attempt to do what their parents ask of them.  These primped and padded little girls quickly, however, learn the meaning of “failure” and all too soon learn to associate failure and success with their looks.

Watching little egos alternately inflated and battered is painful.  Which is why many of us turn the pageants off.

FOR MORE OF MY ARTICLES ON POVERTY, POLITICS, AND MATTERS OF CONSCIENCE CHECK OUT MY BLOG A LAWYER’S PRAYERS AT:  http://www.alawyersprayers.com

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August 6, 2012 · 5:40 pm

Boy Scout Abuse

More than 1200 cases of sexual abuse in the Boy Scouts have come to light.  At times, the Boy Scouts failed to document abuse, allowing it to continue.  In other cases, men identified as sex offenders — even convicted felons — were allowed to return to the Boy Scouts and resume predation.  One such predator went on to molest over 100 boys.

That the Boy Scouts have issued an apology is laughable.

FOR MORE OF MY ARTICLES ON POVERTY, POLITICS, AND MATTERS OF CONSCIENCE CHECK OUT MY BLOG A LAWYER’S PRAYERS AT:  http://www.alawyersprayers.com

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July 23, 2012 · 5:38 pm

Sanctions

The NCAA has sanctioned Penn State re:  the Sandusky abuse scandal.  The school has been fined the equivalent of annual gross revenue from the football program, has had its wins vacated from ’98-’11 and its football scholarship quota reduced (making the program less competitive).

Students seemed stunned by the penalties, an indication they have little comprehension of the lifelong problems Sandusky’s victims now confront.

The statue of coach Joe Paterno – around which his supporters rallied, despite Paterno’s involvement in the years long cover-up – has been removed.

FOR MORE OF MY ARTICLES ON POVERTY, POLITICS, AND MATTERS OF CONSCIENCE CHECK OUT MY BLOG A LAWYER’S PRAYERS AT:  http://www.alawyersprayers.com

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July 12, 2012 · 5:21 pm

Tarnished

An internal investigation on Penn State’s reaction to abuse by Jerry Sandusky has reaffirmed that Joe Paterno and other officials chose to shield the school’s reputation, rather than the children abused there for over a decade.

Officials failed to comply with mandatory reporting requirements; their inaction facilitated the abuse.

Loyal fans have been hostile toward victims, as if their sole purpose in coming forward was to malign Paterno’s reputation.  Handwritten notes and emails confirm that Paterno was aware of the abuse, and actively involved in the decision to cover it up.

That should tarnish his reputation.

FOR MORE OF MY ARTICLES ON POVERTY, POLITICS, AND MATTERS OF CONSCIENCE CHECK OUT MY BLOG A LAWYER’S PRAYERS AT:  http://www.alawyersprayers.com

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June 28, 2012 · 5:17 pm

Public Awareness

Recent Pennsylvania verdicts re: the cover-up by Catholic Church officials of pedophile priests, and repeated betrayals of trust by a former Penn State assistant coach have put abuse in the headlines.

Raising public awareness is vital to the prevention of child abuse.  So is public involvement.

Even as I write this, abuse continues.  Locally, news reports indicate a 6 year old boy in the advanced stages of starvation when first hospitalized, was twice returned to the custody of the very parents who had neglected him.

As a community, we are responsible for the welfare of our children.  However welcome guilty verdicts against predators may be, the criminal justice system can only seek to remedy past injury. Prevention is the ideal.  No child should bear these scars.

FOR MORE OF MY ARTICLES ON POVERTY, POLITICS, AND MATTERS OF CONSCIENCE CHECK OUT MY BLOG A LAWYER’S PRAYERS AT:  http://www.alawyersprayers.com

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June 22, 2012 · 5:13 pm

Guilty

Former Penn State assistant coach, Jerry Sandusky has been found guilty of 45 of the 48 counts brought against him for having abused 10 boys over a period of 15 years, using his charity The Second Mile to trawl for victims.

One of Sandusky’s adopted children came forward to say he, too, was abused.

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June 22, 2012 · 4:58 pm

Held Accountable

Msgr. William Lynn has been found guilty in Philadelphia of a single count of endangerment for the systematic cover-up by Catholic Church officials of pedophile priests.

Offending priests were deliberately transferred from one unknowing parish to another at the direction of now deceased Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua.

The testimony by adult abuse survivors was wrenching. The verdict does not begin to offset their suffering, which continues to this day.

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May 23, 2012 · 4:50 pm

Nuremberg…Again

Philadelphia’s trial of Msgr. William Lynn for the systematic cover up by Catholic Church officials of pedophilia by priests continues.

The defense rests on two grounds: the advice of legal counsel that reporting to law enforcement was unnecessary, since the statute of limitations had run; and the orders of now deceased Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua.

Of course, the Statute of Limitations had not yet run when many claims were initially made. Often, it was the delayed handling by church officials which caused the statute to run. Nor was there a re-examination of the issue, when the Statute of Limitations was extended by the legislature.

In fact, had the Catholic Church acted in the best interests of the victims, it could easily have waived the Statute of Limitations at any time.

As to the second ground, it was previously raised by Adolf Eichmann at the Nuremberg war crimes trials.  He was “only following orders,” too.

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