Seems Accused ND Clergy Are Too Dead To Prosecute.

Well, ain't that a shame.  It was just about this same time last year the list came out.  I'd say it's a "shocking" list, but it's not, because it's packed with priests...but it is disturbing. Here's the story from January 2020 

The Bismarck Diocese has released a list of priests who have substantiated claims against them of sexual abuse of a minor.

The list of 18 diocesan clergy and four extern clergy have all served the Diocese of Bismarck. Diocese of Bismarck Bishop David Kagan says each have claims the Diocese has determined to be likely true.

Well let's not bury the headline...here's the list of those alleged diddlers.

The accused clergy include:

Earl J. Becwar (died September, 1991)

Norman J. Dukart (living)

Robert E. Feeney (died April, 2006)

Theodore F. Gustin (died December, 2006)

Eugene J. Haspert (died July, 1979)

Donald W. Hill (died November, 2004)

Michael T. Krank (died November, 2010)

John H. Kuhn (died March, 2006)

Hugh C. Govern (died July, 1988)

Maurice McNeely (died July, 2017)

Frederic J. Nelson (died August, 1988)

John J. Owens (living)

James W. Pommier (died January, 2012)

James E. Reardon (died March, 2007)

Armour R. Roberts (died December, 1989)

Aloysius P. Simon (died October, 1991)

Laurence R. Talty (died August, 1989)

Steven R. Zastoupil (died July, 2018)

The accused extern clergy include:

Victor J. Heinen, OSB (died 1953)

Charles Meyer, CPPS (died December, 1997)

MIchael A. Spegele, CPPS (died March, 1998)

Robert Wuest, CPPS (died March, 1988)

All names are published on the Bismarck Diocese website, and were included in a mailing to Catholic families in December.

They sure were mostly all dead a year ago, and most likely continue to be so today.  But the news breaking today from KX Net shows that after investigating the case over this last year, North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem has proclaimed the prosecution plans as dead as the priests.

Here in 2021, all but two of those listed are dead.  The actions of which they are accused date back to the 1970's and thusly fall under the statute of limitations. So as the case appears to be about to disappear....I figured I'd haul these names out for one last stroll in the sunshine.