Were You Abused?
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If you were sexually abused as a child by a priest, deacon or any other member of the Catholic Church, you are not alone. We are here to help you. Please fill out our confidential online contact form or call Toll Free 1-866-777-2557 and a Maryland Sexual Abuse Lawyer will get back to you within 24 hours to discuss your possible case. Help is available nationwide. There is no cost to investigate and there are no legal fees unless you receive financial compensation. Making the call is sometimes the hardest step, but it is often a necessary step on the road to healing. Catholic Church Sexual Abuse Lawyer Maryland
Reasons to call
Please call Toll Free 1-866-777-2557 or fill out our confidential contact form and a lawyer will get back to you within 24 hours to discuss your case. Maryland Catholic Church Sexual Abuse Lawyer
Following the shocking release of a 2018 Pennsylvania grand jury report - which revealed details of sexual abuse committed by priests and other officials - other states have begun to follow its precedent by looking into long-buried secrets. Areas have differed in who has taken the lead; in some places, church officials have proactively released lists of credibly accused molesters, while in others, law enforcement has taken the initiative to investigate. Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York and Wyoming are among the states that have initiated investigations into local Catholic churches and how charges of sexual abuse have been handled.
Catholic Church Sexual Abuse Lawyer Maryland
In Maryland, church officials recently announced that the attorney general’s office would be conducting an investigation of their records. The diocese is cooperating, with William E. Lori stating, “The archdiocese is supportive of the review and will be fully cooperative throughout the process.” As has become a pattern with public letters from archbishops and other high officials, his, addressed to parishioners, acknowledged that the church had failed to do what was needed to protect the most vulnerable among its members.
“Based on my conversations with people throughout the archdiocese and from the emails and letters I have received these past weeks, it is clear that we are a church in crisis and that crisis is one of trust…. It is my hope and prayer that this independent review and other acts of transparency by the archdiocese will bring about greater trust in the church among those who are understandably skeptical about the church’s handling of allegations of abuse.”
Maryland Catholic Church Sexual Abuse Lawyer
Like other areas, Maryland has been roiled by sex abuse scandals before. In one shocking series of events, a former choirboy shot his former abusers. As a teenager in west Baltimore, Dontee Stokes had told a guidance counselor about molestation by a priest, but prosecutors declined to press charges and the man was ultimately reinstated in his position. As an adult, Stokes shot Blackwell out of rage and frustration. He was acquitted of attempted murder. Maurice Blackwell was ultimately convicted of three counts of child sex abuse of Stokes, but the charges were dismissed on appeal.
Catholic Church Sexual Abuse Lawyer Maryland
The story of Dontee Stokes is a tragedy, since he was so angered and traumatized at not receiving justice that he was driven to lash out against his abuser. An investigation by the AG’s office has the ability to protect future victims against predator priests, and give others some measure of justice by exposing the attackers who preyed on them.
Maryland Catholic Church Sexual Abuse Lawyer
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