Geoghan's Death Is Described

Washington Post ^ | 8/25/03 | Jonathan Finer

[hole_n_one]

washingtonpost.com

Geoghan's Death Is Described
Fellow Inmate Jammed Cell Door During Attack

By Jonathan Finer
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, August 25, 2003; Page A01

BOSTON, Aug. 24 -- John J. Geoghan, the former priest and convicted child molester killed in a Massachusetts prison Saturday, was followed into his cell just after lunch by a fellow inmate who bound and gagged him before strangling him with a bed sheet, according to a union representative for prison guards.

The attacker, whom authorities identified as Joseph L. Druce, jammed the electronically operated cell door to prevent guards from opening it. He tied Geoghan's hands behind his back with a sheet and gagged him. He then repeatedly jumped from the bed in the cell onto Geoghan's motionless body and beat the defrocked priest with his fists.

Only one correction officer was on duty in the protective custody unit at the time, according to an account of the attack provided by Robert Brouillette, an executive of the Massachusetts Correction Officers Federated Union, who interviewed correction officers for seven hours Saturday. State and county officials involved in the investigation would not comment on Brouillette's description.

Druce entered Geoghan's cell just before noon, Brouillette said, when the prisoners left their one-person concrete cells to return their lunch trays. The solid cell door has a chest-high window that guards can look through as they pass by. When the officer on duty heard noises coming from Geoghan's cell but could not open the cell door from the control panel at his station, other officers were summoned by walkie-talkie. It took several of them to pry open the door.

[hole_n_one]

The attacker, whom authorities identified as Joseph L. Druce, jammed the electronically operated cell door to prevent guards from opening it.

How do you suppose that an ordinary, run-of-the-mill inmate goes about "jamming" an electronically operated cell door so that it can't be opened?

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Druce . . . repeatedly jumped from the bed in the cell onto Geoghan's motionless body and beat the defrocked priest with his fists.

I am outraged the Matt Drudge would do something like this. It is one thing to maintain a conservative web site, but it is altogether different to take the law into your own hands and . . .

What? It wasn't Matt Drudge? It was Joseph Druce? Never mind.

[dennisw]

Wonder if this prisoner was one of the priest's victems?....

Unlikely but he's their hammer of justice.

[Kevin Curry]

Could Druce have been one of Geoghan's victims, years ago?

Druce is an immensely sick, cold-blooded murderer. I would bet that is about as intelligable and sensible as any explanation you are likely to find. Geoghan isn't the first man he has killed. If they don't lock Druce away in solitary, Geoghan won't be the last man he kills either.

Seems to me Jeffrey Dahmer also checked out this way, didn't he?

[TheDon]

Druce, 37, was immediately isolated and will be charged with murder, investigators said. Massachusetts does not have a death penalty, so it is unclear what additional punishment he could receive since he is serving a life sentence for strangling a man in 1988.

Still think you can prevent a murderer from committing further murders by giving him life in prison?

[ex-Texan]

Of course, I agree with you. Child molestors do not survive in prison. When the judge passed sentence, he must have known Geoghan would die violently. Everybody knew. Geoghan knew. No surprises here. Time to move on.

Geoghan's death send a strong message to others who would terrorize children.

[sinkspur]

I laugh at the thought of the depraved sick f--k being stomped to death.

You're not a follower of Christ are you?

No, I didn't think so.

[wheathead]

Since having suffered the horror of being sexually abused as a child, I can understand the mentallity of the perverts killer.

Fred, don't be so quick to judge.

[Mo1]

Since this was both a "free murder" and a planned one -- rather than spur of the moment -- the immediate question is what the killer stood to gain. Does he have family or friends? Have they suddenly received some money? You see where this could be headed.

Like this was a contract killing?

also .. I'll bet the family of Geoghan will sue the State of Massachusetts for not giving better security

[ladyjane]

What if he killed a guard?

His life expectancy would be dramatically shortened.

[Moose4]

Y'know, it never seems to fail that when states get in deep budgetary doodoo like most are these days, their corrections department budgets are slashed more than those in just about any other area, including welfare, discretionary spending, and any sort of boondoggle you can come up with. One guard for that entire area? Putting a known gay-hater in the same area with a pedophilic priest well-known for homosexual assault on young boys? Not good and not acceptable. Budget cuts or no, the Massachusetts corrections people are in a world of hurt on this one.

I will shed no tears for the Father going to meet his Father and receive his judgement, but this wasn't the way to do it. The murderer committed a freebie, and the state of Massachusetts is now wide open for lawsuits from the "good" Father's family, if any.

}:-)4

[Palladin]

Dahmer had his head bashed in with a porcelain toilet.
His killer was mentally ill. But I still think some of the victims' relatives may have arranged it.

[dennisw]

My thoughts too.

[Squantos]

Good deal.......no safe haven for a child abuser........Stay Safe H'n 1

[Fred Mertz]

I hear you, but I don't agree with you. I think prison is punishment enough. To be brutally beat and strangled to death in the liberal cesspool of the northeast, Massachussetts, doesn't give me a warm and fuzzy.

If the state gave him the death penalty then it would be okay with me. This ain't right.

[dennisw]

''As victims we will live in our own prison forever, but Geoghan got off easy. He is never going to hurt anyone again, but he still had a lot of penance to do on earth,'' Linscott said, biting his lip at a news conference......

He is doing penance in hell.

[wheathead]

you make me sick.

[Fred Mertz]

Only one correction officer was on duty in the protective custody unit at the time....

Nice description, eh?

[Kevin Curry]

Putting a known gay-hater in the same area with a pedophilic priest well-known for homosexual assault on young boys? Not good and not acceptable.

Maybe even intentional.

[AntiGuv]

I agree with you. I suppose I should have at least a tiny, little pang of sympathy for the child rapist, but I don't. Not in the slightest.

Let God sort 'em out...