LIVE
LIVE VICTORY, IS WFAA NEWS.+@ @ >> WE START WITH BREAKING NEWS,
DALLAS POLICE ARE SERVING A
SEARCH WARRANT ON THE CATHOLIC
DIOCESE OF DALLAS.
THIS IS RELATED TO THE SEX
ABUSE SCANDAL.
ABUSE SCANDAL. OFFICERS ARE SEARCHING THREE
LOCATIONS.
LOCATIONS. BIASES, SAINT CECILIA AND A
DIOCESE WAREHOUSE ARE BEING
SEARCHED.
SEARCHED.
SEARCHED. ONES BEING SERVED ON THE
CATHOLIC DECIDE DIOCESE IS
DRAWING A LOT OF ATTENTION.
THAT THERE WAS+@ DIOCESE IS
+@
+@ CLOSED.
CLOSED.
CLOSED. THE SEAR+@CH IS A VERY ACTIVE
SCENE RIGHT NOW AT THOSE THREE
LOCATIONS.
LOCATIONS. THE POLICE ARE EXPECTED TO
SPEAK AT ANY MOMENT.
THEY ARE GETTING PREPARED NOW.
WE+@ WILL BE LIABLE FOR
HEADQUARTERS BRINGING YOU THE
LATEST.
LATEST.
LATEST. WE HAVE ALL OF THE UP DATES YOU
WILL NEED TO KNOW.
RIGHT NOW WE ARE JOINED BY A
REPORTER WHO HAS BEEN FOLLOWED
BY ALL OF THIS.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT DECADES OF
ABUSE ALLEGATIONS.
ABUSE ALLEGATIONS. >> Reporte+@r: THAT IS THE
IMPORTANT THING TO KEEP IN
MIND.
MIND.
MIND. THIS IS NOTHING NEW FOR THE
CATHOLIC DIOCESE.
CATHOLIC DIOCESE. THIS GOES BACK TO THE 90s WHEN
THE ALLEGATIONS FIRST AROSE.
LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT WE KNOW
HAPPENED.
HAPPENED.
HAPPENED. THE SEARCH WARRANT WAS SIGNED
THIS MORNING.
THIS MORNING. IT WAS ABOUT 7 AM OR 7:30 AM
WHEN OFFICERS ARRIVED AT THE
MAIN HEADQUARTER+@S OF THE DALL
DIOCESE.
DIOCESE.
DIOCESE. WE DO KNOW THAT THIS IS TIED
INTO THE INVESTIGATION INTO
SEXUAL ABUSE.
SEXUAL ABUSE. IT SOUNDS LIKE THE POLICE JUST
BEGAN.
BEGAN.
BEGAN. >>
BEGAN. >> WE WILL HEAR FROM THE MAJOR
RIGHT NOW.
RIGHT NOW. >> IN AUGUST 2018, THE CHILD
EXPLOITATION SQUAD OF THE
DALLAS POLICE DEAET
RECEIVED INFORANGIG
RECEIVED INFORANGIG SEXUAL AUEALGTO
RECEIVED INFORANGIG AGAINS AUEALGTO
RECEIVED INFORANGIG AGAINS A EALGTO
RECEIVED INFORANGIG AGAINS A PRIEST.
THIS INFORMATION CAME FROM THE
DALLAS CATHOLIC DIOCESE.
THE INVESTIGATION OF THE
ALLEGATI+@ONS LED TO AN ARREST
WARRANT.
WARRANT.
WARRANT. OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS,
DETECTIVES HAVE CONDUCTED
INTERVIESWT OSBT
INTERVIESWT OSBT DEMS, WINSE AND SUSPECTS AS
WELL AS ATTENDING MULTIPLE
MEETINGS WITH THE DIOCESES AND
@ ATTORNEYS.
ATTORNEYS. IN ADDITION TO THE ALLEGATIONS
AGAINST THE INDIVIDUAL,
DETECTIVES ARE INVESTIGATING
FIVE ADDITIONAL ALLEGATION OF
CHILD ABUSE AGAINST OTHER
SUSPECTS.
SUSPECTS.
SUSPECTS. THESE INVESTIGATIONS
THESE INVESTIGATIONS >> IT APPEARS WE ARE HAVING
TROUBLE WITH OUR FEET+@.
WE WILL BE BRINGING THE LATEST
FROM THE DALLAS POLICE
DEPARTMENT.
DEPARTMENT. THEY ARE SPEAKING ON THE SEARCH
WENT +@THAT WAS JUST GRANTED TO
THEM TO SEARCH THE CATHOLIC
DI+@OCESE OF DALLAS.
>> Reporter: I CAN TELL YOU
THIS IS A 45 PAGE SEARCH
WARRANT.
WARRANT.
WARRANT. IT TOOK A WHILE TO GO THROUGH
IT.
IT.
IT. LET'S
IT. LET'S GO BACK, THOUSAND GOT A
SIGNAL BACK.
SIGNAL BACK. >>& EACH ALLEGATION,
INDEPENDENT OF ANY OTHER CITY.
AR+@E DETECTIVES HAVE WORKED A+
CONTINUE TO WORK SEPARATELY AND
VERY HARD COMING THROUGH THE
RECORDS, OBTAINING STATEMENTS
AND DOING A SIMILAR JOB TO
INVESTIGATE.
INVESTIGATE. ADDITIONALLY, WE WANT TO THANK
THOSE WHO HAVE COME FORWARD
WITH INFORMATION IN THESE
CASES.
CASES.
CASES. WE
CASES. WE ENCOURAGE ANYONE WITH
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION RELATED
TO THIS OR ANY OTHER +@CASE OF
CHILD ABUSE, CONTACT ETC.
PLEASE CONTACT THE CHILD
EXPLOITATION SQUAD.
EXPLOITATION SQUAD. I WILL TAKE SOME QUESTIONS NOW.
>> Reporter: THIS IS HIGHL+@Y
UNUSUAL FOR THE PLEASE
DEPARTMENT TO RAID THE CATHOLIC
DIOCESE.
DIOCESE.
DIOCESE. DID YOU NOT BELIEVE TH+@AT THEY
TURNED OVER ALL OF THEIR FILES?
>> IN LOOKING THROUGH ALL OF
THE INVESTIGATION, WE ARE IN
THE BUSINESS OF ATTAINING AND
EXECUTING SEARCH WARRANTS IN
FURTHERANCE OF INVESTIGATIONS.
THIS WAS A LOGICAL STEP IN THE
PROCESS.
PROCESS.
PROCESS. >> Reporter: HAS THE DIOCESE
COOPERATED?
COOPERATED? >> WE HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF
MEETINGS WITH THEM.
THAT IS BEING CHARACTERIZED AT
VARYING DEGREES OF CO+@OPERATIO
I REITERATE THAT WE BELIEVE AT
THIS POI+@NT THAT THE EXECUTION
I REITERATE THAT WE BELIEVE AT THIS POI+@NT THAT THE EXECUTIONF
THE WARRANTS WAS IN FURTHERANCE
OF THE INVESTIGATION.
>> Reporter: ARE THERE OTHER
PRIEST WHO ARE BEING
INVESTIGATED?
INVESTIGATED? >> I AM NOT GETTING INTO THE
IDENTITY OF SUSPECTS OR
VICTIMS.
VICTIMS.
VICTIMS. WE HAVE SEARCH WARRANTS.
NO ARRESTS'S WERE MAD+@E TODAY.
THIS IS A NATURAL PROGRESSION
OF THE INVESTIGATION.
>> Reporter: [ INAUDIBLE
QUESTION ]
QUESTION ] >> THERE WERE THREE LOCATIONS
THAT WE EXECUTED A SEARCH
WARRANT.
WARRANT.
WARRANT. ONE WAS THE CATHOLIC DIOCESE
HEADQUARTERS ON THE 4700 BLOCK.
A STORAGE LOCATION IN THE 4600
BLOCK OF WEST LEDBETTER DRIVE.
THE OFFICES OF THE +@SAINT
CECILIA CHURCH ON THE 1800
BLOCK OF WESTGATE.
>> Reporter: DO YOU EXPECT ANY
ARREST TODAY?
ARREST TODAY? >> NOT TODAY.
>> Reporter: CAN YOU CLARIFY
THE ALLEGATIONS FROM THE LIST
OF THOSE WHO WERE DEAD ALREADY?
THE LIST THAT THE CATHOLIC
DIOCESE RELEASED, MANY OF THOSE
INFORMANTS WERE DEAD.
ARE THESE ALLEGATIONS RELATED
TO PEOPLE WHO MAY STILL BE
ALIVE?
ALIVE?
ALIVE? >>
ALIVE? >> IT IS SAFE TO CHARACTERIZE
THAT.
THAT.
THAT. I
THAT. I WILL NOT GO ANY FURTHER IN
HELPING IDENTIFY THE SUSPECTS
AND THE VICTIMS.
>> Reporter: WHAT INFORMATION
IS BEING LOOKED AT TODAY AT
THOSE THREE LOCATIONS?
>> AGAIN, TO REITERATE.
WE ARE LOOKING FOR
DOCUMENTATION, DATA THAT WOULD
TEND TO REFER TO THE
+@
+@ INVESTIGATION AND ALLEGATIONS
I+@N GE+@NERAL.
I+@N GE+@NERAL. >> Reporter: [ IABE
QUESTION ]
QUESTION ] >> I HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING THE
NUMBER OF VICTIMS.
AGAIN, I WOULD HIGHLY ENCOURAGE
AN+@YONE BUT INFORMATION, ANYBO
WH+@O MIH HAVE BE A VICTIM,
CONTACT US AND GIVE US THE
OPPORTUNITY TO INVESTIGATE.
>> Reporter: ARE THESE RECE+@NT
ALLEGATIONS?
ALLEGATIONS? HOW FAR BACK TO TH ACCSTOS
G+@O?
G+@O?
G+@O? >>
G+@O? >> I WILL NOT CHACEIEOR
ADDRESS THE TIMEFRM O THE
ALLEGATIONS I CANNSYWHEN
THE OFFENSES OCCU.
THEY ARE NEWALLEGATIONS THAT
BECAME APPARENT TO US.
THEY WERE MADE TO US FOLLOWING
THE AN+@NOUNCEMENT OF THE CHARG
AGAINST THE INDIVIDUAL NAMED.
>> THANK YO+@U.
>> Reporter: CAN YOU JUST [
INAUDIBLE QUESTION ]
>> WE JUST HEARD FROM THE
DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THEY ARE SERVING A WARRANT TO
SEARCH THE CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF
DALLAS.
DALLAS.
DALLAS. THIS WAS SIGNED BY A COUNTY
JUDGE.
JUDGE.
JUDGE. TERESA IS HERE GUIDING US.
IN JANUARY+@, 31 PRIEST WERE
ACCUSED OF ABUSE.
TH+@IS GOES BACK DECADES.
THIS IS NOTHING NEW.
>> THE LIST OF THE 31 PRIEST,
STRETCH BACK TO ANYBODY YOU
HAVE BEEN CREDIBLY ACCUSED
+@
HAVE BEEN CREDIBLY ACCUSED SINCE THE 1960S.
THERE WERE SEVERAL PEOPLE ON
THE LIST TO EITHER DIED, WHO
HAD BEEN STRIPPED OF THEIR
RELIGIOUS ABILITIES OR ACTUALLY
IMPRISONED.
IMPRISONED. I WANT TO BREAK APART WHAT WE
+@
I WANT TO BREAK APART WHAT WE HEARD FROM THE DALLAS POLICE
DEPARTMENT.
DEPARTMENT. +@
DEPARTMENT. FROM THE NATURE, THE
OVERARCHING THEME WAS WE ARE
LOOKING FOR FILES.
WE ARE LOOKING FOR DOCUMENTS
AND DATA.
AND DATA.
AND DATA. WE HEARD REBECCA LOPEZ ASK+@ED
THE QUESTION, WHY DID YOU DO
THIS.
THIS.
THIS. HE
THIS. HE SAYS IT IS A LOGICAL STEP IN
THE PROCESS.
THE PROCESS. YOU HEARD OUR REPORTER ASKED IF
+@
YOU HEARD OUR REPORTER ASKED IF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH HAS AN
COOPERATIVE.
COOPERATIVE. THE NATURE'S ANSWER IS WE HAVE
HAD VARYING DEGREES OF CROP
RATION.
RATION.
RATION. LET'S GET INTO WHAT THE 45 PAGE
SEARCH WARRANTS THAT WAS SIGNED
THIS MORNING.
THIS MORNING. IT IS THE REASON WHY A JUDGE
SAID YES YOU CAN GET INTO THE
DIOCESE AT THESE TWO OTHER
LOCATIONS AND INVESTIGATE.'S
MAC IT IS NOT EASY TO SEARCH A
CHURCH.
CHURCH.
CHURCH. THE CORRECT.
THE CORRECT. THIS IS 45 PAGES.
HERE IS THE OVERARCHING THEME:
THE POLICE ARE QUESTIONING THE
CHURCH'S TENDENCY TO
INVESTIGATE ITSELF.
INVESTIGATE ITSELF. THEY ARE QUESTIONING THE
CREDIBILITY OF THOSE THAT HAD
INVESTIGATED. I WANT TO SHOW
YOU A COUPLE OF QUICK SEEMS
THAT ARE INSIDE OF THE SEARCH
WARRANT.
WARRANT.
WARRANT. IF WE HAVE THE QUOTES FOLDER,
MAYBE WE CAN DO THAT.
+@ THIS IS ONE THAT POINT THAT IS
+@
THIS IS ONE THAT POINT THAT IS LISTED IN THE SEARCH WARRANT.
IT SAYS THIS IS WRITTEN BY A
DALLAS POLICE INVESTIGATOR.
I HAVE SIMILAR CONCERNS ABOUT
THE DIOCESE AND REVIEW +@BOARD'
MEMBERS POTENTIAL BIAS.
HAD A LACK OF EXPERTISE.
THE POLICE ARE EXPECTED TO
TRUST INFORMATION AS ACCURATE
AND COMPLETE DESPITE EVIDENCE
TO THE CONTRARY.
THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY
ARE QUESTIONING WHETHE+@R THE
INFORMATION BEING PROVIDED TO
THEM FROM THE CATHOLIC DIOCESE
IS ACTUALLY CREDIBLE.
THEY GO ON TO SAY THE POLICE
RECEIVED AN OFFICIAL REQUEST TO
INVESTIGATE PRIEST NOT DEEMED
CREDIBLY ACCUSED.
CREDIBLY ACCUSED. THIS REVEALS A LACK OF
CONFIDENCE IN THE ESTABLISHE+@D
VETTING PROCESS OR A KNOWLEDGE
THAT THE PROCESS HAS FAILED.
THIS IS A POLICE O+@FFICER
QUESTIONING +@WHETHER THE DIOCE
SHOULD BE TESTED TO INVESTIGATE
IF.
IF.
IF. ONE
IF. ONE MORE INSTANCE THAT WAS
PROVIDED IN THE SEARCH WARRANT.
PREVIOUSLY IN THIS AFFIDAVIT,
IDENTIFIED FIVE PRIEST AND
DETAILED ALLEGATIONS OF CHILD
SEXUAL ABUSE.
SEXUAL ABUSE. IN SOME INSTANCES THOSE ACCUSED
ADMITTED TO THEIR CRIMINAL
CONDUCT.
CONDUCT.
CONDUCT. THEY DID THIS DESPITE
ASSURANCES FROM THE DIOCESE
ATTORNEYS, THE FILES WERE
COMPLETE AND ACCURATE.
I DETAILED EXAMPLES WHERE THE
FILES WERE NOT COMPLETE AND
ACCURATE.
ACCURATE.
ACCURATE. ADDITIONALLY, MY EFFORTS TO
RECEIVE FILES WHICH L+@IKELY
CONTAIN RELEVANT MEA
REGARDING CHIL ELU
ALLEGATIONS, WERE THWARTED.
SO CLEARLY THAT IS THE DALLAS
POLICE DEPARTMENT THING WE ARE
TRYING TO INVESTIGATE SOMEOF
THESE CASES MAKE I BACK FOR
DECADES.
DECADES.
DECADES. THAT IS WHAT HAN
ABUSE THE DEMS DO+@ NOT COME
FORWARD RIGHT AWAY.
WHEN THEY FINALLY FE
COMFORTABL OIGFA T
DALLAS POLICE DEAETWL
INVESTIGT.
INVESTIGT. THEYESYN HYAENOT
THEYESYN HYAENOT SURE WE ARE GETTINGALL OF THE
INFORMATION THAT WE DESERVE ALL
OF THE INFORMATIO THATTHE
DIOCESE HAS.
DIOCESE HAS. WE NEE ACCUAEINFORTO S
WELL.
WELL.
WELL. THIS ISOHN EHAVE HEARD
FROM THE OF CHURCH SEXUAL ABUSE
FROM THE OF CHURCH SEXUAL ABUSE@ FOR A LONG TIME.
>> THIS IS VERY CONCERNING.
AS THE MAJOR WAS TELLING US,
+@
+@ THE
+@ THE SUSPEC+@T HAS BEEN ARRESTED
RIGHT NOW THEY HAVE HAD A
WARRANT FOR +@HIS ARREST.
>> Reporter: HE HAS LEFT THE
COUNTRY.
COUNTRY.
COUNTRY. >> THERE IS A WARRANT FOR HI+@S
ARREST.
ARREST.
ARREST. THEY ARE CONDUCT DOING
INTERVIEWS WITH WITNESSES AND
SUSPECTS AND VICTIMS
THEY HE FIVE ADDITIONA
SUSPECSHA HYHV +@NO
NAMED ANYO+@NE.
NAMED ANYO+@NE. I THINK ABOUT THE KIND T+@HAT
RIG+@HT NOW, +@RELIANT THINGS L
WEEK.
WEEK.
WEEK. POPE +@FRANCIS IS CRACKING DO+@
POPE +@FRANCIS IS CRACKING DO+@@ ON SEX ABUSE WITHIN THE
CATHOLIC CHURCH SAYING THAT IF
YOU DO NOT REPORT, IF YOU TEND
TO COVER UP THESE CRIMES, THAT
IS A CRIME.
>> THEY FOCUS ON THE CLERGY AND
NUNS.
NUNS.
NUNS. >>
NUNS. >> Reporter: THERE IS GOING TO
BE A LOT OF VICTIMS WHO SAY
THIS IS GOING TO BE