Minnesota: Criminal Charges Filed Against Archdiocese in Sex Abuse Case

[MineralMan]

http://kstp.com/article/stories/s3817632.shtml

Criminal charges have been filed against the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis for its role in failing to protect children, Ramsey County Attorney John Choi announced Friday.

Choi said the charges are in relation to three victims of former priest Curtis Wehmeyer.

A total of six charges have been filed, all of which are gross misdemeanors. They include three counts of Contributing to Need for Protection or Services and three counts of Contributing to Status as Juvenile Petty Offender or Delinquency.

Because the charges are against a corporation rather than individuals, Choi said no one is looking at jail time; if convicted, the archdiocese faces up to $3,000 in fines on each charge.

Sadly, no individual charges have been made, but this will lead to exposure of the extent to which the Archdiocese has ignored this kind of abuse for years and years.

[Angry Dragon]

1. So in Citizens United the US Supreme Court rules

that corporations are people, then it seems that some catholic priests should be able to serve some jail time

Unless corporations get to choose what days and times they are people or just a name ..............

In my opinion the cover-up is most times worse than the crime

[MineralMan]

2. You can't jail a corporation.

But a corporation can be found guilty of crimes. Fines are the only remedy. In this case, the prosecutor does not have enough evidence to charge any individuals at this time. The investigation continues, though. John Choi will prosecute individuals if he believes he has sufficient evidence to convict, right up to and including the Archbishop himself.

I know John Choi. I have campaigned for him. I helped him get elected the first time. He is doing an excellent job in office. I supported him because he and I had a long conversation about this investigation and his commitment to deal with it without concern for the politics of the situation. You can trust him to follow through.

[Angry Dragon]

3. So are you saying the catholic church is a corporation??

[MineralMan]

4. It is indeed. See this link:

http://www.archspm.org/offices/

The Roman Catholic Church incorporates, in whole and in all of its divisions, wherever corporations are legal. They just don't put Inc. after the name. The Archdiocese of Minneapolis and St. Paul is made up of multiple corporations.

[Angry Dragon]

5. I think I will start the GOD Corporation

[MineralMan]

6. You can incorporate any damn thing or organization you choose.

Churches have been incorporating for, like, forever. Like all organizations, incorporation protects the individuals in the corporation from many things. It's entire function is to move legal responsibility away from people. That's why corporations exist. Insulating people from liability is the reason for them.

So, you can incorporate GOD, Inc., if someone hasn't already done so. Heck, you can do it online in just a few minutes. I suggest Delaware. It will cost you a few bucks, but that's it.

[Angry Dragon]

7. Then I can get some business card printed as

Representative of GOD

[MineralMan]

8. You bet.

Note: House of God, Inc. is already taken. I couldn't find GOD, Inc. on Google, though, so it may still be available. Check it out.

[Angry Dragon]

9. Thanks