Shanley's Safety in Prison Raises Concern

AP ^ | 2/14/5 | DENISE LAVOIE

[SmithL]

BOSTON -- As defrocked priest Paul Shanley faces sentencing on child rape charges, inmate advocates are worried that sending him to prison could amount to a death sentence for a man who was at the very center of the Boston Archdiocese sex scandal.

After all, another key figure in the scandal, former priest John Geoghan, was beaten and strangled behind bars in 2003, a year after he was convicted of molesting a 10-year-old boy. A fellow inmate told investigators he killed Geoghan "to save the children."

Some are worried that the 74-year-old Shanley could be the next mark for an inmate.

"He's so high-profile that that puts a big target on his back," said James Pingeon, an attorney at Massachusetts Correctional Legal Services, which represents inmates. "We feel concerned. Obviously he's a vulnerable person because of his notoriety and his age."

[SmithL]

If he's nervous about jail, he's going to hate eternity.

[rockabyebaby]

>>>Shanley's Safety in Prison Raises Concern<<

Concern? What concern? He'll get what he deserves, no concern here, most of us will sleep a lot better knowing he's off the streets.

[TXBSAFH]

Smoking or non smoking. HE will most likely get smoking.

[Sangria]

I guess he can dish it out, but can't take it.

[Semper Paratus]

P>Liberals would never waste their compassion rations on the victims.

[sitkaspruce]

Don't do the crime if you don't want to do the time. Poor old child molestor.

[LauraleeBraswell]

This isn't right. We need to stop relying on other prisoners to carry out justice.

And Pedophiles don't always get whats comming to them in prison anyway.

I'd be for something like Singapore does. It's nice when it's behind bars and we don't have to look at what's going on.

[Fierce Allegiance]

He will also quickly become the catcher.

I wouldn't care if this scum got the same treatment as Geoghan got a few years back.

[Captain Peter Blood]

I am sure everyone remembers the Priest who was killed in maximum security last year.
If anyone wants to get to this guy they will and he will be history.
They can keep him in isolation but that won't protect him, this guy is at the bottom of the food chain and will be hated by all for what he has done.
it's only going to take one guy who doesn't care and is in for life anyway and that will be then end of Shanley, who by the way is a real lowlife anyway. This guy was profiled in Vanity Fair magazine about two years ago and he was one of the founders of NAMBLA so he really is despicable.

[Palladin]

Hey--can they find that dude that stomped Geoghan to death and put him in with Shanley?

After a gang group rape by at least 50 of Massachusetts' finest.

[Allosaurs_r_us]

"He's so high-profile that that puts a big target on his back,"

 

No kiddin? Why do they think they call it punishment. So now the liberals lawyers will call it cruel and unusual punishment in order to get him into one of those minimum security golf courses we reserve for the likes of white collar criminals like Martha Stewart or Kenneth Lay.

 

The guys a friggin pedophile! He can never make amends to his victims. Perhaps they will sleep a little better at night knowing he is living some of the same fear he instilled on them.

[mowowie]

They'll just put him in segregation with all the other gays, molesters, ect... Those guys have the best times in jail anyways. iI's like club Med to them. My prison guard buddy tells me when there not out singing and dancing all day you can hear them moaning in their cells all night long.

[JillValentine]

I have no sympathy for this guy and he deserves whatever bad things that happen to him.

That being said, the "mainstream" prisoners who attack guys like Shanley shouldn't be considered heroes. They're criminals too.

The good part about our prison system is that child molesters are at the bottom of the prison hierarchy and get what they deserve. The bad part is that the prisoners at the very top of the hierarchy (cop killers) receive great admiration and aren't getting what they deserve.

[This Just In]

Why in the world would they feature him in Vanity Fair?

Ah yes, because it's Vanity Fair.

[Gorzaloon]

That is what strikes me as strange about these online forums-And understand, I am as strange as anyone.

One one hand, web sites about prison rape (www.spr.org)can induce compassion and even outrage for what goes on in prisons, such as the lack of due process when a burglar or dope dealer gets what amounts to a death sentence on the installment plan.

But every once in a while, some despicable monster like this "priest" shows up, and that compassion goes right out the window. If we could bring back Vlad The Impaler to render services, many people would buy popcorn and watch.

[LauraleeBraswell]

We need to stop relying on or pretending that other prisoners will "carry out justice." It doesn't always happen.

[grey_whiskers]

If he's nervous about jail, he's going to hate eternity.

Methinks Shanley misinterpreted Jesus' injunction to

"Let the little children come unto me..."

Tie that together with the admonition "Woe to anyone who causes one of these little ones to sin...it would be better for him if he had never been born..."
and I suggest that Shanley may end up in a world of hurt.

Nonetheless, pray for him.

[Mad Mammoth]

I have no sympathy for this guy...

Shanley has an extra large, industrial strength millstone waiting for his neck when he hits eternity.

Then?

Next stop, Hell's Furnace Room.

[LauraleeBraswell]

That's my problem with it.

Why can't we be like Singapore?

I have compassion for non-violent criminals who are raped in prison. Or criminals who can reform.

Not for a pedophile.

I won't feel bad if this priest ends up getting raped, or any other child molester.

The fact that it goes on. Our Justice system clearly isn't harsh enough if we're hoping the guy get's his punishment in prison.

[bukkdems]

I think all priests should be castrated, so they won't have temptations of the flesh. Don't laugh, it was very common in the Eastern Orthodox church. The concept can be traced to Matthew 19;12

For they are some eunuchs which were so born from their mother's womb: and there were some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.

Rome decided this passage called for celibacy c. 1200, but I venture a eunuch is more than just celibate. Rome was having a problem with children of priests inheriting church property, at the time of this interpretation.