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Beshear To Seek Investigation Of Kentucky Catholic Dioceses

Posted at 11:50 AM, Sep 11, 2018
and last updated 2018-09-11 11:50:43-04

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (The Courier Journal)– Attorney General Andy Beshear will seek the state legislature’s permission to form a statewide grand jury to investigate the state’s Catholic dioceses.

A report released last month showed church leaders in Pennsylvania protected more than 300 priests for decades in sexual abuse cases.

Father Joseph Hemmerle, of Kentucky, was convicted of sexually abusing a 10-year-old boy at a Meade County church camp.

Meanwhile, Father James Schook was found guilty of molesting two teenage boys in Louisville, and Father Stephen Pohl pleaded guilty to charges of child porn.

The group, SNAP, survivors network of those abused by priests, have called on Kentucky’s attorney general to investigate.

“We would ask Andy Beshear here in the state of Kentucky to do the same here, not just Louisville but the archdiocese across the whole state,” said Cal Pfeiffer of SNAP.

Deputy Attorney General Michael Brown says his office has been in contact with Pennsylvania officials to assist with drafting a bill that would create a statewide grand jury.