The Michigan Attorney General announced today that she will appeal a district court judge’s decision to dismiss criminal charges against Timothy Crowley, a former Catholic Church Priest. Timothy Crowley was extradited from Arizona to Michigan to face charges for sexually abusing at least one altar boy after records confiscated from the Catholic Diocese earlier this year revealed the abuse.
The judge dismissed the Attorney General’s case against Crowley because of the statute of limitations. But Attorney General Dana Nessel says that Judge got it wrong. Since Crowley was sent out of state – to Alaska – after the church found out he had sexually abused children, Nessel states the then six-year statute of limitations was effectively tolled, or frozen, until Crowley came back to the state of Michigan. Since Crowley never came back to Michigan, Nessel will take the case to the Michigan Court of Appeals for a second shot in bringing this victim of clergy sexual abuse the justice he deserves.
At the preliminary exam on October 1, 2019, the victim gave courageous testimony regarding the abuse he endured for more than six years, which was achieved through threats, coercion and physical force – especially when Crowley first abused the young boy.
Washtenaw District Court Judge Joseph Burke stated that while he agreed the victim was coerced at certain points during the abuse, he did not believe coercion or force were used against the victim after he turned sixteen-years-old, and therefore the sexual contact between Crowley and the boy was not criminal.
If a child is raped and forced to give sexual favors as a ten-year-old, eleven-year-old, twelve-year-old, thirteen-year-old, fourteen-year-old, and fifteen-year-old, then how can that same child willingly give sexual favors at age sixteen?
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Our team at Grewal Law PLLC is passionate about fighting for the rights of the injured, including those harmed by sexual abuse. These types of crimes leave a lasting imprint, and the at-fault parties must be held accountable for their damaging, irresponsible actions. If you or someone you love has a potential sexual abuse case, we want to help.
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