Thank you Jonathan Hardison and Fox 6 WBRC for helping to spread the word. You are helping make a difference!
YOU can help us keep Don Corley in jail. Write a letter before March 4th and tell the board to deny parole! Letters should be sent to:
Alabama Pardons and Parole Board
PD Box 302405
Montgomery AL 36130
Letters must refer to “Charles Donald Corley” AIS #184756
Michael V. Johnson, Director of Youth Protection for the Boy Scouts of America, and a former law enforcement professional, supports 30is30! He even pledges to be at the hearing and to support the victims of Don Corley.
Mr. Johnson has given us permission to post the contents of his letter. YOU can also help us keep Don Corley in jail. Write a letter before March 4th and tell the board to DENY parole! Letters should be sent to:
Alabama Pardons and Parole Board
PD Box 302405
Montgomery AL 36130
Letters must refer to “Charles Donald Corley” AIS #184756
Today is the day. Don Corley’s hearing before the Alabama Board of Pardons & Paroles begins at 8:30AM. The verdict should be ready by 9AM. Please stay tuned and we will post the verdict here as soon as possible after it is read.
As always, thank you all for your prayers, support, and well-wishes.
Mike Hale, Sheriff of Jefferson County, Alabama, has written a letter to the Pardons & Parole Board asking they DENY parole to Don Corley! The reprint of the letter is below.
As Victim #2 of I don’t know how many of Don Corley’s victims, I have to tell myself that “It is not my fault” every day. Some days I believe it, some days not as much as I would like. However, due to the manipulation techniques the molester uses to groom its victims, feeling this guilt is common in those victimized by childhood sexual abuse.
Let me begin by saying that from the outset, the cards are stacked against victims of childhood sexual abuse in several ways:
Many studies, such as this one from the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, indicate that “Impulse control, planning, and decision making are largely prefrontal cortex functions that are still maturing during adolescence.” Also from the study, “Adult response to stimuli tends to be more intellectual, while teens’ is often more ‘from the gut.’ This suggests that while the changeability of the adolescent brain is well suited to meet the demands of teen life, guidance from adults is essential while this decision-making circuitry is being formed.”
What this means is that mentally, children and teenagers are not yet equipped to process what is happening to them before, during, and after the molestation. You cannot judge your childhood actions with your adult brain without taking this into account! Otherwise, it is just not a fair judgment. It is not your fault; it is always the role of the adult to protect the child.
Adolescence is, for many, a time to gain much sought after independence and quest for finding their individuality. It can be a very confusing and trying time and a great opportunity to be mentored by a non-parental adult such as a coach or youth group leader. Having a mentor can assist children in making good decisions as well as provide non parental adult supervision when both parents and children need to take a break from each other.
Don Corley used mentoring as his guise to gain the trust of parents and their children. Don’s concern for a child who could use mentoring was welcomed by parents. Children were more than willing to accept his attention, times, trips, and gifts. Parents, children, as well as the community was “groomed” in order for Don to misuse the trust bestowed on him.
One misconception is that only “troubled” or “children of divorced parents” are at risk.
I can proudly say that I came from a perfect nuclear family with lots of love and my parents did EVERYTHING right. It was Don that knew how to create an issue if there wasn’t one already to position himself as the “good guy” who was interested and wanted to “help”. This is important for parents to know as this can happen to even the best of families.
A major ingredient of molestations is the imbalance of power in the adult-child relationship. As a child, you are taught to “Listen to adults and do what they say.” You do this because you trust that they know what is right and as an adult will protect you from any harm. In fact adults are those who have the power to discipline children. As an assistant Scoutmaster, Sunday School and youth leader in the church, chaperone on trips, and “adult in charge” Don had all the power. You did what he said or you were in trouble.
A well-respected adult in several positions of authority over children used manipulative behavior (or brainwashing) to perpetrate crimes against those he was supposed to be protecting.
Don Corley not only brainwashed his victims, though. He brainwashed the whole community in which he was highly revered. If he could brainwash a community of fully developed adults, his developing child victims didn’t stand a chance.
Thanks to counseling as well as the natural maturity process I understand more and more each day that “It is NEVER the victim’s fault that they were molested.”