TRACTION
TRACTION PER SE AND HE KNEW THAT ENFORCEMENT WAS GOING TO
TAKE A WHILE TO WORK ON, THIS
WAS A LONG-TERM PROJECT FOR
THEM.
THEM.
THEM. THEY WEREN'T EXPECTING IT TO
CHANGE ANYTHING IN THE NEXT
COUPLE OF MONTHS.
>> THANK YOU.
>>> THE 24 HOURS SINCE THE
RELEASE OF THE REPORT ON
COLORADO'S CATHOLIC PRIEST
ABUSE SCANDAL, IT HAS BEEN A
SCRAMBLE.
SCRAMBLE.
SCRAMBLE. BOTH FOR VICTIMS, AND FOR THE
ACCUSED PRIEST WHO DIDN'T KNOW
EXACTLY WHEN IT WAS GOING TO BE
RELEASED.
RELEASED.
RELEASED. THE 166 VICTIMS IN THE REPORT
ARE NOT NAMED.
MOST OF THE 43 PRIESTS ARE.
ANOTHER ONE TOLD MARK TODAY,
THAT HE IS INNOCENT.
>> THE CATHOLIC FAITHFUL, WILL
TELL YOU THAT GOD KNOWS
EVERYTHING.
EVERYTHING. FATHER LEO, IS COMFORTABLE WITH
THAT.
THAT.
THAT. >>
THAT. >> YOU ARE A MAN OF FAITH?
>> YES.
>> YES.
>> YES. >> WHEN THE DAY COMES TO MEET
GOD, WILL YOU STAND THERE?
>> YES.
>> YES.
>> YES. >> I WILL STAND THERE WITH A
CLEAN CONSCIENCE.
CLEAN CONSCIENCE. >> HE IS ACCUSED OF SEXUALLY
ASSAULTING A BOY AND HIS CHURCH
IN PUEBLO IN 1979.
>> I WOULD NEVER TOUCH AND.
>> HE SAYS HE KNOWS HIS ACCUSER
AND COMPLIED WITH THE CHURCHES
INVESTIGATION.
INVESTIGATION. WHICH WAS INCONCLUSIVE.
THE CHURCH NEVER REPORTED THE
ACCUSATION TO POLICE.
>> THERE WAS A SERIES OF
MEETINGS OF COURSE, AND THERE
IS EVERY REASON TO BE, AS TO
WHETHER OR NOT THEY WOULD MOVE
ME FROM THE PARISH OR NOT.
THE DECISION WAS NOT TO.
AT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S
REPORT FINDS NO EXCULPATORY
EVIDENCE CLEARING HIM, HE
MAINTAINS HIS INNOCENCE.
POLICE ARE NOT GOING TO
INVESTIGATE THE ALLEGATIONS.
>> IF YOU HAVE NOT BROUGHT
THOSE CHARGES, BY THAT TIME, IT
IS A COMPLETE BAR IN THE
PROSECUTION OF THE CASE.
>> Reporter: MITCH, IS THE
FORMER DISTRICT ATTORNEY IN
DENVER.
DENVER.
DENVER. HE SAYS ONLY WHEN DNA IS
INVOLVED, CAN CASES OF SEXUAL
ABUSE BE PROSECUTED MORE THAN
10 YEARS LATER.
>> I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED ON
THE TALE OF THIS REPORT, THAT
THERE ISN'T SOME MOVEMENT IN
THE LEGISLATURE, TO CHANGE THE
COLORADO STATUTE OF
LIMITATIONS.
LIMITATIONS. >> Reporter: HE BELIEVES GOD
KNOWS EVERYTHING.
KNOWS EVERYTHING. >> I DID NOT RAPE A 17-YEAR-OLD
BOY.
BOY.
BOY. >>
BOY. >> Reporter: HE WANTS HIS
ACCUSER TO CLEAR HIS NAME.
>> I WOULD JUST ASK HIM TO TELL
THE TRUTH.
THE TRUTH. >> BACK TO THE STATUTE OF
LIMITATIONS, IN MASSACHUSETTS,
IT WAS CHANGED FOLLOWING
REPORTS OF RAMPANT SEXUAL ABUSE
IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH THERE.
KYLE, THE NEW LAW GIVES CHILD
ABUSE VICTIMS THERE, MORE THAN
30 YEARS TO SUE THEIR ACCUSERS.
>> SO FAR YOUR TRACKS DOWN TWO
OF THESE PRIESTS WILLING TO
TALK TO YOU.
WE THINK THERE ARE 10 OF THEM
LIVING, ONE IN JAIL RIGHT NOW.
>> ACCORDING TO THE RESEARCH,
THROUGH GOING THROUGH THESE 260
SOME PAGES OF THIS REPORT, WE
THINK THAT ABOUT NINE OF THEM
ARE STILL LIVING, WE DON'T KNOW
HOW MANY OF THEM STILL LIVE IN
COLORADO.
COLORADO.
COLORADO. WE HAVE TRACKED DOWN 2. BOTH OF
THEM HAVE DENIED THE
ACCUSATIONS.
ACCUSATIONS. >> MARK, THANK YOU.
>>> ONE OF THE PRIEST NAMED IN
THE REPORT, LATER BECAME A
COLORADO STATE SENATOR.
JOHN, FROM PUEBLO WAS ACCUSED
OF SEXUALLY ABUSING TWO VICTIMS
IN THE 1960S.
THE VICTIMS BOTH SAID THAT HE
THREATENED THEM WITH ETERNAL
DAMNATION IF THEY TOLD ANYONE.
HE WAS ELECTED TO THE STATES
AND AS A DEMOCRAT IN THE 1980S
AND HE DIED IN 2000.
>>> WE HAVE TALKED SO MUCH
ABOUT WHAT THIS PRIEST ABUSE
REPORT COVERS.
REPORT COVERS. LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT IT
DOESN'T COVER.
DOESN'T COVER. ABUSED BY A PRIEST AS AN ADULT?
NOT COVERED.
NOT COVERED. ABUSE BY SEMINARY STUDENTS?
NOT COVERED.
NOT COVERED. ABUSE BY PRIESTS FROM RELIGIOUS
OR RUNNING SCHOOLS OR CHURCHES?
NOT COVERED.
NOT COVERED. THOSE WERE ALL EXCLUDED BY THE
DEAL THAT WAS STRUCK BY THE
CHURCH.
CHURCH.
CHURCH. WHEN IT AGREED TO PARTICIPATE
IN THE INVESTIGATION.
>> THIS REPORT WAS LIMITED BY
AGREEMENT, DOESN'T COVER
RELIGIOUS ORDER PRIEST, DOESN'T
INVOLVE SEXUAL MISCONDUCT
INVOLVING ADULTS.
INVOLVING ADULTS. SHOULD THAT BE LOOKED AT WITH
THE SAME KIND OF SCRUTINY AND
DO YOU PLAN TO DO THAT?
>> WE FOCUSED ON WHAT WE SAW
THE BIGGEST AREA OF CONCERN.
WHICH WAS MINORS, BY PRIESTS.
WHETHER THERE WERE THE OTHER
SUCH EPISODES IN THE FUTURE,
REMAINS TO BE SEEN.
>> Reporter: ATTORNEY GENERAL,
PHIL, SAYS THERE ARE NO PLANS
FOR EXPANDED INVESTIGATION.
KEVIN, FROM OUR 9WANTS TO KNOW
TEAM PUT THE QUESTION TO THE
FORMER U.S. ATTORNEY WHO
CONDUCTED THIS INVESTIGATION.
>> SHOULD THERE BE A SIMILAR
RECKONING AND ACCOUNTING OF
RELIGIOUS ORDER PRIESTS FOR
EXAMPLE?
EXAMPLE?
EXAMPLE? >> WOULDN'T HURT.
>> HOW ABOUT SEXUAL MISCONDUCT
INVOLVING ADULTS, RATHER THAN
JUVENILES?
JUVENILES? >> I THINK THERE ARE DEFINITELY
OTHER RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS
WHO HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE.
THERE ARE OTHER ISSUES THAT CAN
BE LOOKED AT.
BUT, NOT MY CALL.
>> TAKE THE CASE OF A FORMER
CATHOLIC PRIEST NAMED NEIL