(ZENIT News / Washington, 01.07.2024).- The decades-long saga of Theodore McCarrick, once a towering figure in the Catholic Church, reached another somber milestone on December 27, when a Wisconsin judge announced the indefinite suspension of his sexual assault case due to his declining cognitive health. At 94 years old, McCarrick was declared mentally incompetent to stand trial, a decision that halts judicial proceedings without formally dismissing the charges.
A Case Frozen in Time
Circuit Court Judge David Reddy of Walworth County determined that McCarrick’s case, linked to a 1977 incident near Lake Geneva, would remain in legal limbo. “The court will not schedule further reviews, and the case will remain suspended until the defendant’s death,” Reddy stated. The ruling aligns with Wisconsin state laws, which prohibit formal dismissals in cases involving defendants deemed unfit for trial.
The alleged victim, James Grein, has been a vocal advocate for justice, claiming that McCarrick began abusing him at the age of 11 and continued the assaults over several years. The Wisconsin case was one of the few within the statute of limitations, offering a rare opportunity for criminal prosecution. However, McCarrick’s health has placed that possibility beyond reach.
A Pattern of Allegations
McCarrick, who once held the distinction of being the Archbishop of Washington, D.C., was defrocked in 2019 after a Vatican investigation substantiated multiple allegations of sexual abuse against minors and adults. Since 2018, numerous survivors have come forward with claims of abuse spanning decades, revealing a dark legacy of predatory behavior by the former cardinal.
Despite these revelations, the statute of limitations has shielded McCarrick from prosecution in most jurisdictions. In August 2023, a Massachusetts court dismissed another sexual assault case against him due to similar findings of cognitive impairment. With the Wisconsin case now suspended, McCarrick faces no active criminal charges in the United States.
A Legacy of Betrayal
For many survivors, the inability to see McCarrick face trial is a profound disappointment. Grein, who has been an outspoken critic of the Church’s handling of abuse allegations, has accused McCarrick of a pattern of manipulation and betrayal that extended beyond the confines of the Wisconsin case. “This isn’t just about one act—it’s about decades of harm,” Grein has stated in previous interviews.
Justice Delayed, Not Denied?
Legal experts note that McCarrick’s inability to stand trial does not absolve him of responsibility. “The judicial system may not deliver a verdict, but the evidence and survivor testimonies have already shaped the public record,” said one legal analyst.
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