What will it take to bring Catholic child abusers to justice in Maryland? A prosecutor with guts. | GUEST COMMENTARY

There are worse things than legions of sadistic sexual predators abusing Maryland’s children: like legions of sadistic sexual predators abusing Maryland’s children and getting away with it.

A recent report from the Maryland Attorney General’s Office unveiled decades of rampant sexual abuse of children by Catholic clergy and others affiliated with the Archdiocese of Baltimore. But many of the perpetrators can likely sleep easy believing that no one will prosecute them, because they beat the clock and concealed their crimes well enough to avoid detection earlier, when it would have been less challenging to bring them to trial...

...In my 38 years of practice fighting for justice as a prosecutor and as the voice for crime victims in Maryland, there is no similar circumstance in our lifetimes that reeks of injustice more than this scandal, which is only partially exposed in the attorney general’s report. Nothing should haunt good prosecutors more than this, until they exhaust every effort to bring the living offenders to justice, no matter how old the cases.

Many of the reasons that have been given not to prosecute do not ring true. For the most part, there is no impediment. For God’s sake, for the sake of justice, to even preserve the meaning of the word justice, would my prosecutorial colleagues please do something? Anything?

What will it take to bring Catholic child abusers to justice in Maryland? A prosecutor with guts. | GUEST COMMENTARY – Baltimore Sun

Key Maryland Senate leader to co-sponsor bill to end time limit for filing child sex abuse lawsuits

The chair of a powerful state Senate committee will sponsor his chamber’s version of a bill to end a statute of limitations on child sex abuse lawsuits, giving a boost to legislation abuse survivors have been pushing for years.

The decision announced Tuesday by Democratic Sen. Will Smith of Montgomery County, chair of the Judicial Proceedings Committee, improves the legislation’s chance of getting passed this year in the General Assembly.

Senate President Bill Ferguson said Tuesday that he’s hopeful that Smith’s sponsorship is “an indication that there’s likely something moving this year.”..

..In three previous sessions, the House has passed a bill sponsored by Economic Matters Committee Chair C.T. Wilson, himself a survivor of childhood sexual abuse. But the legislation has never made it to the Senate floor for a vote, faltering instead in the Judicial Proceedings Committee...

Key Maryland Senate leader to co-sponsor bill to end time limit for filing child sex abuse lawsuits – Baltimore Sun

Zirkin turned his back on child abuse victims

I was sad — but certainly not surprised — to learn of former state Sen. Bobby Zirkin’s about-face on his original 2019 stance regarding the passage of the Hidden Predator’s Act (”Catholic Church paid Maryland lobbyists more than $200K to help limit, prevent abuse lawsuits,” Dec. 8). He had the courage then to stand up to the Archdiocese of Baltimore and push legislation that would eliminate the statute of limitations regarding child sex abuse. But for the past three years, he’s been paid by the church to lobby against it. 

 In 1976, I first heard the catch phrase, “follow the money,” in the movie, “All The President’s Men,” about the Watergate burglary during the Richard Nixon White House years. Here is another example of a former state politician more interested in collecting a fee than what he at one time passionately believed to be the right thing to do. Why is it that money continues to override the decent thinking of today’s leaders? Can’t Zirkin collect fees lobbying for causes he truly believes in? I hope the former senator comes to his senses and stops his lobbying for the Archdiocese of Baltimore trying to maintain the statute of limitations on child sex abuse. 

There is another movie title I would like Zirkin to recall. This one is entitled, “Do the Right Thing.” — Mac Kennedy, Baltimore

Zirkin turned his back on child abuse victims | READER COMMENTARY – Baltimore Sun

Survivors of abuse in Catholic Church demand @BrianFrosh attorney general release findings. [See Netflix series The Keepers on MD Legislature's Failure to Protect Children]

Kirkland Shipley, 48, a former teacher and girls’ rowing coach at Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to sexually abusing a high school student and possessing sexually explicit material of a 17-year-old former high school student. #USADC

Kirkland Shipley, 48, a former teacher and girls’ rowing coach at Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to sexually abusing a high school student and possessing sexually explicit material of a 17-year-old former high school student. #USADC https://t.co/4HKFmlptiE

— Allison Papson (@AllisonPapson) June 3, 2022

Alaska Charges Former Acting Attorney General With Sexual Abuse of a Minor [27 year old - sexual abuse of high school student]

...The Law Department statement continued: “The allegation that Mr. Sniffen took advantage of his authority to engage in sexual acts with the victim is disturbing and disappointing. As attorneys who work on behalf of the State to hold people accountable, we expect to be held to the same level of accountability. This further compels us to be advocates for victims, and more importantly, clearly emphasize our role is to ensure justice for every Alaskan.”..

https://www.propublica.org/article/sniffen-alaska-ag-sexual-assault-charges

Press Release: High School Track Coach Wanted for Sexual Assault Arrested at Airport; Additional Victims a Concern

 For Immediate Release: Thursday, December 30, 2021

Gaithersburg, MD - On Oct. 27, 2021, the Special Victims Investigations Division began an investigation into the sexual assault of a now adult victim by her former track coach and school security assistant, 31-year-old Giovanni Di Angelo Reumante of Takoma Park, MD.

The assaults took place while the victim was a student at Northwood High School where Reumante had been a track coach since 2013.

The investigation revealed that Reumante allegedly engaged in sexual contact with at least one student during and after school hours. A warrant was obtained for Reumante’s arrest on Dec. 23, and attempts were made to serve that warrant.

On Dec. 29, 2021, investigators learned that Reumante returned to the United States on a flight from the Dominican Republic.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection at Dulles International Airport placed Reumante under arrest for his active arrest warrant.

Investigators are concerned that Giovanni Di Angelo Reumante might have targeted additional students. Anyone with additional information is asked to contact the Montgomery County Police Special Victims Investigations Division at 240-773-5400.

 

Wootton HS: Former High School Football Coach Charged with Sexual Offenses Against Two Players; Possibility of Additional Victims a Concern

 Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Special Victims Investigations Division (SVID) have arrested and charged Christopher Papadopoulos, age 26, of Thorburn Place in Gaithersburg, with offenses related to his sexual abuse of two high school males.  Papadopoulous served as an assistant varsity coach for the Thomas S. Wootton High School football team from 2016 to 2020.  At the time of the offenses, the victims played football for the Thomas S. Wootton High School and Papadopoulos was one of the coaches.  The sexual interactions occurred after school hours and did not occur on school property.

On February 28, 2020, SVID detectives began an investigation into allegations of sexual abuse of the two victims by Papadopoulos.  Detectives learned that Papadopoulos sexually abused and exploited the first victim on multiple occasions.  Detectives also learned that Papadopoulos sexually abused and solicited the second victim.

Last night, October 12, Papadopoulos was served with an arrest warrant charging him with offenses to include sexual abuse of a minor.  He was transported to the Central Processing Unit and is being held on a no bond status.  He has bond review today.

Detectives are concerned there may be additional victims of Papadopoulos and are asking anyone who believes that he/she is a victim to call SVID detectives at 240-773-5400.

**Inquiries regarding Christopher Papadopoulos’ employment should be directed to Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS).

During his own bachelor party, teacher sent nude photo of himself to eighth-grader, police say

...“We have had contact with additional potential victims,” said Capt. Amy Daum, director of the police department’s Special Victims Investigations Division. “We encourage others to come forward as well.”..

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/during-his-own-bachelor-party-teacher-sent-nude-photo-of-himself-to-eighth-grader-police-say/2020/08/27/45490ea4-e8a8-11ea-bc79-834454439a44_story.html

Maryland & France

A French author wrote for years about his sexual relations with children and continued to win acclaim. Now one of them has spoken out.

PARIS — The French writer Gabriel Matzneff never hid the fact that he engaged in sex with girls and boys in their early teens or even younger. He wrote countless books detailing his insatiable pursuits and appeared on television boasting about them. “Under 16 Years Old,” was the title of an early book that left no ambiguity.

Still, he never spent a day in jail for his actions or suffered any repercussion. Instead, he won acclaim again and again. Much of France’s literary and journalism elite celebrated him and his work for decades. Now 83, Mr. Matzneff was awarded a major literary prize in 2013 and, just two months ago, one of France’s most prestigious publishing houses published his latest work.

But the publication, on Thursday, of an account by one of his victims, Vanessa Springora, has suddenly fueled an intense debate in France over its historically lax attitude toward sex with people who are underage. It has also shone a particularly harsh light on a period during which some of France’s leading literary figures and newspapers — names as big as Foucault, Sartre, Libération and Le Monde — aggressively promoted the practice as a form of human liberation, or at least defended it...

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/07/world/europe/france-pedophilia-gabriel-matzneff.html

Andrea Chamblee: Zirkin’s conduct on gun bill showed he wasn’t a good legislator

I’m ashamed that my high school in Howard County, Glenelg High, was the place where Grace McComas was bullied until she saw no other way out than suicide. The law in her name, Grace’s law, was an important accomplishment, even it was too late for Grace.

State Sen. Bobby Zirkin, D-Montgomery County, splashed that accomplishment all over a Facebook page that he would later claim was not related to his public position as a state senator when he started deleting polite requests from constituents for him to explain his position on another life-saving bill that he “slow-walked” through the Senate until the clock ran out last year: the bill that would make it illegal for already disqualified people to obtain rifles and shotguns at gun shows and other transfers.

Although Gov. Larry Hogan was publicly shamed and paid a fine for the same kind of deletions just before this, the constituents who were deleted had no such option. This is because Zirkin is so petty and vengeful that we knew other important bills would be slow-walked by him again...

https://www.capitalgazette.com/opinion/columns/ac-ce-column-chamblee-20191208-lkwulrqgyffann2tnz4jqsexqa-story.html?fbclid=IwAR3WI5T7aX-vSW5xSGsyug5EpuDELe9wUGzChAaCoAiMngYzg8EaxTC8uT4

AND

Zirkin has a history of deletions:  

http://parentscoalitionmc.blogspot.com/2014/04/did-senator-bobby-zirkin-delete.html

Mother of 14-year-old daughter on her murderer's early prison release: Where is the justice?

https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/mother-of-14-year-old-daughter-on-her-murderers-early-prison-release-where-is-the-justice/65-4eadcd40-d76a-4173-aeb2-07d8ee5bb226


2009 story on murder:

http://www.gazette.net/stories/05282009/laurnew122824_32535.shtml

Former teacher sentenced to 90 days in decades-old Maryland sex abuse case

A former high school teacher, coach and athletic director in Montgomery County was sentenced to 90 days in jail this week after pleading guilty in a child sex abuse case dating back three decades.

Michael John Riley, 64, of Walkersville admitted in court Monday to engaging in sex acts with a student at Rockville High School in 1984 and 1985. She was 16 when the relationship started and he was 29, according to prosecutors. An investigation of the case began this year, in April...

...Riley had taught history and coached basketball at Rockville High School, prosecutors said in court Monday. Over his career, he also had worked at Richard Montgomery, Poolesville and Clarksburg high schools. More recently, he had served as athletic director at the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School in Rockville...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/former-teacher-sentenced-to-90-days-in-decades-old-maryland-sex-abuse-case/2018/10/17/91cc3e86-d252-11e8-83d6-291fcead2ab1_story.html?utm_term=.3d5ed9966891

Erin's Law Passed in 2016, But Has Not Been Implemented

In 2016, the Maryland General Assembly passed House Bill 72, Erin's Law.  

Erin's Law required:

Maryland schools to implement an “age-appropriate” sexual assault and abuse awareness and prevention program for grades K-12.Capital News Service, 2/4/2016

As passed, House Bill 72 states:

(B) (1) THE STATE BOARD AND EACH NONPUBLIC SCHOOL IN THE STATE SHALL DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A PROGRAM OF AGE–APPROPRIATE EDUCATION ON THE AWARENESS AND PREVENTION OF SEXUAL ABUSE AND ASSAULT. (2) THE PROGRAM REQUIRED UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION SHALL BE:
(I) TAUGHT BY A TEACHER WHO IS TRAINED TO PROVIDE INSTRUCTION ON THE AWARENESS AND PREVENTION OF SEXUAL ABUSE AND ASSAULT; AND
(II) INCORPORATED INTO THE HEALTH CURRICULUM OF EACH COUNTY BOARD AND EACH NONPUBLIC SCHOOL. (C) THE STATE BOARD SHALL ADOPT REGULATIONS TO CARRY OUT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION.
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 1, 2016. Approved by the Governor, May 19, 2016. 

Yet, as of today, April 18, 2018, the Maryland State Board of Education has not adopted any Regulations to carry out the provisions of the bill. 

On March 1, 2018, in a hearing before the Maryland House Ways and Means Committee, Delegate Luedtke mentioned that "it had already been too long since we passed Erin's Law for it to be implemented in the schools" and that he did not want a new bill on sex abuse education to give "a new dictate to MSDE [Maryland State Department of Education] that would then delay further the implementation [of Erin's Law]."  Video of this statement is below.

Does the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) and the Maryland State Board of Education have the best interest of children as their goal? Does MSDE and the Maryland State Board of Education follow Maryland law?

A Maryland bill passed to help keep students safe from sexual abuse and assault has not been implemented two years after passage, and the failure to implement that law caused legislators concern this year about passing additional laws to keep children safe.

MCPS Parents: You Were WARNED and Now it is Your Reality. Teachers who were Convicted of Sexually Abusing Students or Assaulting Students are Having Their Convictions ERASED.

Last year, advocate Ellen Mugmon warned parents that the Maryland Justice Reinvestment Act would allow Sex Offenders to Expunge their records.  Click here to read her warning. 

The Maryland Justice Reinvestment Act had been passed in 2016, and took effect October 1, 2017.

In 2017, Maryland Senator Gail Bates (Carroll and Howard Counties) attempted to correct the section of the Justice Reinvestment Act that would allow sex offenders to expunge their records by introducing Senate Bill 774.

Vote to kill Bill that would have prevented
Sex Offenders from Expunging Their Convictions.

But Senator Bates' bill died in the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee with the entire committee voting to kill the bill.  Included on the Committee that voted to kill the bill were Montgomery County Senators Susan Lee and William C. Smith. 

By killing the bill, these Senators allowed the Justice Reinvestment Act to become law on October 1st as written.  Thus, allowing sex offenders to have their records expunged.

And exactly as Ellen Mugmon predicted, former MCPS Meadow Hall Elementary School teacher Timothy Krupica has filed to have his conviction expunged.

In researching we have found three other Montgomery County teacher convictions from the last 4 years that no longer appear in the public court records.

One former MCPS teacher was even able to have his conviction expunged from the public records and his registration as a Sex Offender removed.

Krupica Petition for Expungement in court docket.

Nassar "should never again have access to children."

Michigan doctor gets 60-year prison sentence for child porn 

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) -- A former elite sports doctor whose sexual assault cases have rocked Michigan State University and the group that trains U.S. Olympic gymnasts was sentenced Thursday to 60 years in federal prison for possessing thousands of images of child pornography.
It's the first of three prison sentences for Larry Nassar, who will learn his punishment in state court in January after pleading guilty to using his hands to molest girls at his campus office, his home and at a gymnastics club near Lansing, Michigan, sometimes with parents in the room...

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/more-sports/michigan-doctor-gets-60-year-prison-sentence-for-child-porn/ar-BBGmwLR?li=BBmkt5R&ocid=spartanntp

False hope for Md. childhood sexual assault survivors

At first glance, the newly enacted Maryland law that extends the statute of limitations for victims of childhood sexual abuse from age 25 to age 38 appears to offer hope to individuals who, for any number of reasons, are psychologically unable or unwilling to seek a remedy for the horrors they experienced as children until they are well into adulthood.

That’s not how it worked out, however, and at the very least this law delivers false hope. House Bill 642 instead dealt a stealthy and significant win to the Archdiocese of Baltimore — and any other employer that has allowed perpetrators under their purview to persist in terrorizing children.

Here’s why. Although the law extends the statute of limitations from age 25 to 38, it adds an onerous requirement: Victims older than 25 who sue a rapist’s employer must now meet the notoriously difficult-to-prove gross negligence standard. Before this law, a sexual-abuse victim had to demonstrate ordinary negligence by the employer. What the new law means is that older victims suing potentially culpable employers, such as the Archdiocese of Baltimore in the priest-rape cases, must prove that the employer was acting with thoughtless disregard for the consequences without the exertion of any effort to avoid them.

Therefore, schools or camps or other organizations that purport to care for children, but allow abuse under their noses, can get off the hook and avoid compensating victims because proving gross negligence is just too hard...

...This punitive outcome from legislation that was clearly mischaracterized as rendering only a benefit to victims is unacceptable and it should be changed during the next session of the Maryland General Assembly. One way to right this wrong would be to take the high road — an approach that has worked next door in Delaware. That state lifted the statute of limitations on lawsuits for two years for victims of pediatric sexual abuse, giving them an open window to bring suit no matter how old the incidents and regardless of the reason that the victim failed to file before. Such an approach came at no cost to taxpayers, and it helped ensure that pedophiles were identified and possibly prevented from causing harm to other children...

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bs-ed-op-1012-abuse-victims-redress-20171011-story.html

“He had been warned to cease any personal relationship or acting in an overly friendly manner with a student,” she said.

Maryland [MCPS] school security chief was warned about inappropriate conduct but kept in post

The top security official at a Maryland high school was warned several times in writing about inappropriate contact with a student, but was kept in his position and ultimately charged with sexually abusing the 17-year-old, according to details that emerged in court.

Mark C. Yantsos, 58, the former head of security at Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville, pleaded guilty to a count of sexual abuse of a minor at a hearing last week.

His case appears to be the latest of several in which a Montgomery County school system employee was admonished for repeated incidents of inappropriate behavior with students but stayed on the job and allegedly crossed the line again.

It raised further concerns because Yantsos was responsible for student safety and his arrest came amid a district effort to improve procedures for recognizing and reporting suspicious conduct in schools.

Yantsos was accused in April of befriending the teenager, texting her about graphic sex acts, giving her gifts and taking her to a hotel for intercourse...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/maryland-school-security-chief-was-warned-about-inappropriate-conduct-but-kept-in-post/2017/09/24/e794343c-9e2c-11e7-9083-fbfddf6804c2_story.html?utm_term=.a9573f8528c0#comments

Archdiocese of Baltimore is still declining to make documents public related to the late priest at the center of “The Keepers” Netflix documentary.

The Archdiocese of Baltimore is still declining to make documents public related to the late priest at the center of “The Keepers” Netflix documentary.

The Baltimore Sun reports the archdiocese has responded to the organizer of a petition, saying it took the request “very seriously.”

Archdiocese spokesman Sean Caine wrote the request wouldn’t provide the clarity and closure petitioners are seeking.

The petition requests records on A. Joseph Maskell, a chaplain and counselor at a high school during the 1960s and 1970s. Multiple people have accused him of sexual abuse...

http://thedailyrecord.com/2017/09/18/maryland-the-keepers-online-petition/

Breaking the Silence on Sexual Abuse of Students in Maryland Public Schools

pic.twitter.com/0i8ZrNjYxZ

— jennifer alvaro (@jennifermalvaro) July 19, 2017