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This morning we argued in front of the Minnesota Supreme Court on behalf of sexual abuse survivor Jim Keenan. Pictured above are the three co-counsels: Mike Finnegan on the left, myself, and Jeff Anderson on the right. The case, John Doe 76c v. Archdiocese of Minneapolis/St. Paul and the Diocese of Winona, is on appeal over whether evidence about repressed memories can be used in court. The case was dismissed by the District Court last year when the Judge ruled that experts cannot testify about repressed memories.

After Rev. Bartley A. Sorensen, pastor at St. John Fisher Catholic Church in Churchville, Pennsylvania was arrested December 10th and charged with possession of child pornography, a bishop called on the congregation to report any suspected sexual abuse by the priest to a Catholic hotline. Incredibly he made no mention of calling the police.

As feared, Rev. Uriel Ojeda has been deemed a flight risk, and the court today delayed Rev. Ojeda's bail hearing until January. In our blog on December 1, 2011, I wrote of the hope that this predator not be permitted to flee the country to Mexico, as no less than six other priests facing credible allegations of sexual abuse in the Diocese of Sacramento have done. Here we see the very same risk. The courts should ensure that Rev. Ojeda is not permitted to flee the country and is made to face the allegations of child molestation of which he is accused.