Prison Guards Describe Pedophile Priest's Death

Reuters via Yahoo ^ | todayy | svea hebst-bayliss

[Rodney King]

Prison Guards Describe Pedophile Priest's Death

By Svea Herbst-Bayliss BOSTON (Reuters) - Prison officers on Monday described how defrocked priest and convicted child molester John Geoghan was bound, strangled and beaten to death while the door of his cell was jammed shut and guards were distracted.

Officials said Joseph Druce, 37, a self-proclaimed neo-Nazi said to hate homosexuals, strangled Geoghan with a bed sheet and beat him in one of Massachusetts' most secure prisons on Saturday.

Geoghan was a central character in a sex abuse scandal that has rocked the Catholic Church. Last year, the church paid $10 million to settle cases with 86 of his victims.

His prosecution uncovered a string of pedophile cases among the clergy that ultimately forced Cardinal Bernard Law, the head of Boston's archdiocese to resign last year.

Worcester County District Attorney John Conte said Druce will face murder charges in Geoghan's death. An autopsy is planned to determine the exact cause of death.

The Boston Herald and The Boston Globe reported prison guards said Druce trailed Geoghan into his cell after lunch, jammed the electronically operated door shut and tied the 68-year-old former priest's hands behind his back.

Druce used a shoe to tighten the sheet around Geoghan's neck and then repeatedly jumped onto him from the bed, according to the guards' account.

"An officer heard a noise, went over to the cell, and he saw Geoghan on the floor, gagged and tied," Robert Brouillette, an executive of the 5,000-member correctional officers' union, told the Globe after speaking with the guards.

The Boston Herald reported that Geoghan, a high-profile prisoner segregated from the main prison population in a protective custody unit at the time of his death, told Leslie Walker, executive director of Massachusetts Correctional Legal Services, he "was terrified the whole time he was in prison."

"In the prison population, men who have killed or abused children are at the bottom of the totem poll," said Dr Jay Feierman, a psychiatry professor at the University of New Mexico's medical school, who served as psychiatric medical director for the state's prisons.

"The sociopaths somehow have this hierarchy about who is beneath them and child molesters are at great risk."

Geoghan was one year into serving a sentence for fondling a young boy while they were swimming. At least 130 people accused him of abusing them while he served in various Boston area parishes.

Prison spokeswoman Kelly Nantel confirmed Geoghan was being held in protective custody and said the district attorney's office is conducting an investigation.

Some of Geoghan's victims expressed sadness and frustration that their tormentor had been killed, bringing a premature end to their search for justice.

"I had a moment of thinking 'He got what he deserved'," said Michael Linscott, 45, who was molested by Geoghan when he was an altar boy 37 years ago.

"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 on Sunday.

[Rodney King]

Well, I never thought I would say that there is in fact something that neo-nazis are good for.

[Rodney King]

bump

[Rodney King]

bump

[Bikers4Bush]

I can't say that this bothered me at all.

Good riddance to those who pray on children.

[Gorzaloon]

he "was terrified the whole time he was in prison."

He did not look terrified in court. He looked smug.

It's a shame he was strangled.

[RoughDobermann]

While I'm glad this scumbag is dead, I would rather he would have been sentenced to die by a court of law. Regardless, I hope that he suffered horribly before he expired and I hope that he's in a much worse place now and for eternity...

[Hat-Trick]

Officials said Joseph Druce, 37, a self-proclaimed neo-Nazi said to hate homosexuals, strangled Geoghan with a bed sheet and beat him in one of Massachusetts' most secure prisons on Saturday.

Why don't we hear GLAAD, GLSEN, the ACLU, and the rest of the usual suspects and useful idiots clamoring for Druce to be charged with a hate-crime?

Hat-Trick

[Izzy Dunne]

Good riddance to those who pray on children.

I assume you mean "prey on children".

[blackdog]

There is so much to say here, but the PDL (priest defense league) here on Free Republic will come crawling out from under their keyboards chastizing anyone who candidly discusses this man and his thousands of cohorts.

Nobody deserves to die like that though. I take no joy in someone elses suffering. Well, I have to be honest......I take no joy 99% of the time.

I wonder if body counts will increase the collection plate? Just a thought......

[Bikers4Bush]

Definately, typing too fast again.

Thanks.

[TheDon]

The perp is already in prison for life for a previous murder. The state is wondering how they can further punish him.

Still think you can prevent a murderer from committing further murders by giving him life in prison? There is only one way, execution.

[RS]

"Worcester County District Attorney John Conte said Druce will face murder charges in Geoghan's death."

We need more guys like Druce.... in prison !


"An autopsy is planned to determine the exact cause of death."

Why ? Does Worcester County have a lot of extra tax money they have to burn off ?

[Protagoras]

Well, I never thought I would say that there is in fact something that neo-nazis are good for.

That would lead people to think that you approve of criminals murdering other criminals.

[stuartcr]

Hate the sin, but.....murder the sinner??

[Guillermo]

Heck, I even got a 24/hr ban for mentioning this Priest was RC (and posting a picture of the Pope kissing a Koran).

Sorry Mods!

[martin_fierro]

Good riddance to those who pray on children.

You and I pray on children.

Geoghan preyed on children.

< /gratuitous unsolicited correction >

[Rodney King]

That would lead people to think that you approve of criminals murdering other criminals.

In general no. However I make an exception for unrepentent serial child molesters. In fact, I think the judge should have ordered the bailiff to shoot him on the spot.

[BSunday]

, but Geoghan got off easy.

I wish someone would explain it to me how burning in hell is getting off easy. The person who made that comment seems to think that somehow, some sort of earthly penance would have been worse than God's Eternal Judgment.

[Rodney King]

See post 17.

-RK

[Rodney King]

I wish someone would explain it to me how burning in hell is getting off easy. The person who made that comment seems to think that somehow, some sort of earthly penance would have been worse than God's Eternal Judgment.

Excellent point. However, most criminals don't worry about hell, so we might as well make them fear pain on earth.