Another day, more examples.

AG Dana Nessel announced today that the convictions of Louis Wright, 65, were vacated after new DNA evidence testing established he was wrongfully convicted of sexual assault of an 11-year-old girl and breaking and entering in Calhoun County in 1988.

https://www.michigan.gov/ag/news/press-releases/2023/11/09/ag-nessel-announces-vacated-wrongful-convictions-in-calhoun-county

This case is an example of the importance of collaboration between multiple agencies, including the Albion Department of Public Safety, the Calhoun County Prosecutor’s Office, the MSP Forensic Science Division, the WMU-Cooley Law School Innocence Project and the Michigan AGs Office.

There is no justice without truth. It applies to everyone. This case is being reopened and further investigation will be had to determine who the perpetrator is.

David Gilbert, Calhoun County Prosecutor

There is no justice without truth. What a concept.

Today a former Ann Arbor priest who pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting an altar boy beginning when he was 10 years old was sentenced. Timothy Crowley, 74, was sentenced to ONE YEAR IN JAIL and five years of probation.

The AGs office has secured 20 convictions against 9 clergymen. Two priests have been charged who await extradition from India. All of this is a big deal and very important.

However, I do not understand these one-year sentences. A week ago I wrote about the disparity in sentencing involving sexual predator priests. https://catherinebroad.blog/2023/11/02/holland-michigan-repeat-sex-offender-sentenced-to-27-years-plus-in-federal-prison/ . There were statute of limitations issues in the Crowley case. In 2019 Judge Joseph Burke ruled the sexual assaults after the victim turned 16 were consensual. So these cases are not easy. But this man is a very bad guy. https://www.sommerspc.com/clergy/father-timothy-crowley/ ; https://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2003_07_12/2003_11_16_Tsong_PriestsPast.htm . I don’t know what is going on where survivors and society have to be grateful that these monsters in clerical garb get one year JAIL sentences.

This guy, like Gary Berthiaume, is going to jail, not prison. I’m sure the security concerns for a sex offender priest prisoner are significant. They are vulnerable population in a prison setting. Ironically, kids preyed upon by clergy are in a very vulnerable setting–the church. Think this guy will get any sex offender treatment in jail? They do not age out of their crimes. They are defrocked, but that only takes away one avenue for predation. This guy comes out of jail at 75 the same guy who went in at 74. Oh right–the five years of probation. Sure, that’ll help. Sure.

Thanks to readers for sending the links to these news stories.