Posted on 08/23/2003 12:58:03 PM PDT by TheRedSoxWinThePennant
Edited on 08/23/2003 1:11:48 PM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
Geoghan killed in prison (Boston Herald)
Breaking news/by Eric Convey
Saturday, August 23, 2003
Former priest John Geoghan, a notorious pedophile whose case sparked the clergy molestation scandal of the past 18 months, died this afternoon after being attacked at the state prison in Shirley.
``The perpetrator has been isolated,'' said Kelly Nantell, a spokeswoman for the state Deparment of Corrections.
``Our investigation continues,'' she said.
The matter has been referred to the Middlesex County District Attorney Martha Coakley's office.
Geoghan was serving a nine-to-10 year sentence at MCI Shirley for allegedly groping a boy at a Waltham swimming pool.
More than 140 people have claimed they were abused by Geoghan, claiming they were fondled or raped at locations ranging from church rectories to their own homes.
Geoghan would become one the most notorious pedophiles in the country - not only for the extent of his rampage against children but because relevations about his case led to the unraveling of secrecy within the Archdiocese of Boston.
Bernard Cardinal Law's cordial letters to Geoghan, mixing discipline with praise for his priestly service, that pushed many victims from disbelief to outrage.
John Salvi was ruled a suicide in a Massachusetts max prison at Walpole when he was found with his mouth full of cotton balls, duct tape around his mouth; a 33 gallon plastic garbage bag over his head down to his waist and his hands flex-cuffed behind his back.
Prison murders happen with remarkable frequency in Massachusetts prisons. However predictable prisoner reaction to someone like Geoghan may be, it is still the state that is charged with meting out punishment. If the state fails in its duty, the elected officials ought to be held sharply accountable but no one may delegate the job to the other prisoners. Geoghan should have been protected. Justice ought not to be a deadly game determined by the convicts themselves. If Massachusetts had laws allowing Geoghan to be executed, that would not be a problem for me but, if the commonwealth has custody of Geoghan, the commonwealth has responsibility for him.
Put them in jail.
Cry me a river. They have not a thought about the poor kids they abused. Kids who have grown up confused and have led immoral lives due to having trusted would-be "holy men", the most trusted men in our society.
Now that they are caught in the act, they want to be absolved from their crime. NO DICE.
Don't be misled by Catholic Clergymen, such as sinkspur, again. He is a liar.
2. If you are Catholic, what part of the Pope makes these decisions don't you understand?
3. If you are married and you had to care for a dying relative for a couple of months a thousand miles away, do you think your husband would be likely to take advantage sexually of the eight-year old newspaper boy or is he a man's man? People who are pederasts and pedophiles are pederasts and pedophiles. Making them marry as a cover would also not be very fair to their wives, would it? The answer is keeping the lavenders out of he priesthood period. Pick up a copy of Goodbye Good Men by Michael Rose for a clear understanding of the problem whether you are Catholic or not. It will open your eyes and show you how this mess occurred.
May God have mercy on the souls he violated. A man of the cloth is supposed to have vision and common sense. I have no prayer for Geoghan, except that I pray that he rots in hell.
It's easy to see how the "criminal justice system" has degraded so far in just a generation or two. Even so many of those among us who consider ourselves conservative are severely lacking in any sense of virtue and honor.
I'm not suggesting that anyone should "pop a pedophile priest" -- I'm simply pointing out that if you truly believe he deserves to die then you should have the courage and integrity to do it yourself. Otherwise, you're just a hack with a big mouth.
Then, the alleged perps would either leave the vicinity, or want to go to jail. More the former, I gather, after the untimely demise of the defrocked priest.
I can't remember if Geoghan was one of the Boston area priests known for saying to potential victims "It's a good day for a shower!",
and if he said it to the wrong person or persons, in da joint.
Besides, I thought [MA] sex crime convicts went to Bridgewater, but I'm not quite up on penal, uh, correctional institutions.
That's exactly the point -- it's always "win-win" when someone else does the dirty work.
"Yes, many that live deserve to die. And many that die deserve to live . . . Can you render justice for them, too?"
--- Gandalf, The Lord of the Rings
Bump
So if some freak rapes my child and gets off w/o the death sntence, I'm supposed to go "inside" to get them?
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