I thought that there was a statute of limitations on sex crimes (regarding the recent Catholic priest arrest)

[NFS4]

They just arrested that priest today for something that happened 10 - 20 years ago. I thought that there was a statute of limitations (4-5 years). It seems as though since this whole sex scandal broke, everyone is coming out of the woodworks:Q

 

[MrBond]

Indeed. People are seeing easy money and looking to get their share of it. A damn shame if you ask me (and I'm not catholic)

 

[pulse8]

<< It seems as though since this whole sex scandal broke, everyone is coming out of the woodworks >>

No pun intended?

 

[pyonir]

depends on the state and the offense. 7 years is the general statute. but for like murder and things it doesn't run out. i'm not really sure of the specifics to tell ya the truth...i'm sure Don_vito will be coming in this thread to lay the legal smack down.

 

[NFS4]

Story link

Don't get me wrong, I hate child molestors like anyone else, but I thought that charges had to be brought within a certain amount of time.

 

[Viper GTS]

<< Story link

Don't get me wrong, I hate child molestors like anyone else, but I thought that charges had to be brought within a certain amount of time. >>



Isn't it sometime figured from the time it was first reported?

I could be wrong (and probably am), but it seems I've seen that before...

Viper GTS

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

I believe in Illinois the criminal SoL for child sex offenses is ten years from the time the victim reaches the age of 18. This is a VERY long SoL, relatively speaking, and IMO Illinois is forward-thinking in this regard. Predictably many victims may not even know they are abused, much less be psychologically capable of reporting it, for years after the offense. I have seen some unspeakable cases of molestation that were partially or completely barred from prosecution because the SoL had run.

 

[pyonir]

Don_Vito: is there an SoL for a civil suit?

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Here we go. From 720 ILCS 5/3-5:


(i) A prosecution for criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal
sexual assault, or aggravated criminal sexual abuse may be commenced
within 10 years of the commission of the offense if the victim reported
the offense to law enforcement authorities within 2 years after the
commission of the offense.
When the victim is under 18 years of age at the time of the offense
and the offender is a family member as defined in Section 12-12, a
prosecution for criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual
assault, predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, or aggravated
criminal sexual abuse may be commenced within 10 years of the victim
attaining the age of 18 years.
When the victim is under 18 years of age at the time of the offense
and the offender is not a family member as defined in Section 12-12, a
prosecution for criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual
assault, predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, or aggravated
criminal sexual abuse may be commenced within 10 years of the victim
attaining the age of 18 years, if the victim reported the offense to law
enforcement authorities before he or she attained the age of 21 years.
Nothing in this subdivision (i) shall be construed to shorten a period
within which a prosecution must be commenced under any other provision
of this Section.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

<< Don_Vito: is there an SoL for a civil suit? >>



Yes. The applicable law (13 ILCS 202.2(b)) provides:

An action for damages for personal injury based on childhood sexual abuse must be commenced within 2 years of the date the person abused discovers or through the use of reasonable diligence should discover that the act of childhood sexual abuse occurred and that the injury was caused by the childhood sexual abuse.

There is a good discussion of the interpretation of the law here, and it is current to the best of my knowledge.

 

[HOWITIS]

when you have anal sex with a seven year old boy they are gonna get ya no matter how long it takes, and your gonna deserve it!

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

<< Indeed. People are seeing easy money and looking to get their share of it. A damn shame if you ask me (and I'm not catholic) >>



For what it's worth, I do not think money paid out to victims of child molestation was "easy" to come by, and as far as I am concerned every affected victim should fight tooth and nail to get every penny possible. The Catholic church management has behaved unspeakably and indefensibly, and the more money they lose, the greater the chance for true change. The church has sat idly by and allowed thousands of victims to suffer needlessly, destroying countless lives. Nobody but God can put a price on this, but I say they should not get off cheap.

 

[NFS4]

Thanks for the info Don_Vito

 

[Ameesh]

<<

<< Indeed. People are seeing easy money and looking to get their share of it. A damn shame if you ask me (and I'm not catholic) >>



For what it's worth, I do not think money paid out to victims of child molestation was "easy" to come by, and as far as I am concerned every affected victim should fight tooth and nail to get every penny possible. The Catholic church management has behaved unspeakably and indefensibly, and the more money they lose, the greater the chance for true change. The church has sat idly by and allowed thousands of victims to suffer needlessly, destroying countless lives. Nobody but God can put a price on this, but I say they should not get off cheap. >>



even after the pope's meeting with the cardinals he still refused to do anything about it, no concrete resolutions were made at all and the US cardnial was not asked to resign :disgust: maybe they couldnt force the presidnet of their local chapter of nambla to resign :|

 

[Harvey]

-- << I thought that there was a statute of limitations on sex crimes. >>

Maybe the statute runs longer when they're presumptuous enough to claim expertise in matters of eternity. :disgust:

MrBond -- << People are seeing easy money and looking to get their share of it. >>

Ummm... Wake up, and grab an extra slug of coffee. This is a criminal prosecution, not a civil case. Those that actually committed these crimes have been hidden and shielded for decades. It's about time some of them found that their exclusive little club does not excuse or protect them from their crimes. :|

The responses from pope and his boys have seemed more concerned with their own image than the welfare of their believers. Any member of the clergy of any faith who is proven to be a child molester should be handed his coat and shown the door. In other words...

Defrock 'em if they can't take a cloak! (or even if they can)

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

<< even after the pope's meeting with the cardinals he still refused to do anything about it, no concrete resolutions were made at all and the US cardnial was not asked to resign :disgust: maybe they couldnt force the presidnet of their local chapter of nambla to resign :| >>



Funny you should mention that; Rev. Paul Shanley, who was just arrested, spoke in favor of man-boy love at the conference that led to the creation of NAMBLA. Read about it here.

 

[Ameesh]

<<

<< even after the pope's meeting with the cardinals he still refused to do anything about it, no concrete resolutions were made at all and the US cardnial was not asked to resign :disgust: maybe they couldnt force the presidnet of their local chapter of nambla to resign :| >>



Funny you should mention that; Rev. Paul Shanley, who was just arrested, spoke in favor of man-boy love at the conference that led to the creation of NAMBLA. Read about it here. >>




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