'The Keepers' Triggers Public Outcry for Archdiocese of Baltimore to Release Files on A. Joseph Maskell
"The Keepers," the Netflix docu-series that captured millions of viewers' attention, has ignited a call for the Archdiocese of Baltimore to release its files on A. Joseph Maskell, the priest accused of sexual abuse.
At the center of the docu-series is Sister Catherine Cesnik and her murder in 1969. Sister Cesnik was serving as a teacher at then-Archbishop Keough High School, where Maskell was chaplain. "The Keepers" puts forth the possibility that Cesnik was killed because she knew of the abuse that was going on inside the school and was ready to expose it.
The devastating accounts of those who knew or claim to have been abused by Maskell - including former student Jean Wehner - has sparked a public outcry and an online petition on change.org. Wehner has said that she was taken to Sister Cesnik's corpse by Maskell himself in order to scare her into silence. The files being kept by the Archdiocese of Baltimore are believed to contain several complaints of sexual abuse against the priest.
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"The release of these documents will restore public trust in the Archdiocese, and confirm the Archdiocese statements regarding their handling of the sexual abuse claims," the petition read.
Ryan White, director of "The Keepers," revealed that they requested for the files to be released several times but the Archdiocese of Baltimore denied their plea.
"My point is if [the church investigation] really came up empty-handed, then there's no personal information to redact, so show us that investigation," White told the Baltimore Sun. "Prove that you tried to corroborate [Wehner] instead of burying her — and they won't do that."
Multiple victims came forward, but Maskell, who denied the allegations, was never charged. Wehner, along with another former student named Teresa Lancaster, filed a civil lawsuit against Maskell, but the case was thrown out due to a technicality. Maskell was also very well-connected at the time, being the chaplain of the Baltimore County police, the Maryland State Police and the Maryland National Guard.
According to a 2015 piece published by the Huffington Post, Maskell escaped to Ireland in 1994 and died in 2001. While in Ireland, however, he continued to work as a priest.
"The Keepers" was released in May and is currently available on Netflix.
