Convicted Child Molesting Priest beat to death

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2003-08-23 08:13pm

http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/08/23/geoghan/index.html

Priest in sex abuse scandal killed in prison

(CNN) -- John Geoghan, a defrocked Roman Catholic priest and convicted child molester, died Saturday after he was assaulted in prison, a spokeswoman for the Massachusetts Department of Corrections told CNN.

Geoghan was injured during an incident with another inmate about noon and died shortly after being taken to Leominster Hospital, Department Of Corrections spokeswoman Kelly Nantel said.

Geoghan became a central figure in the Catholic Church's sex abuse scandal. He was found guilty in January 2002 of molesting a boy in a swimming pool a decade earlier and sentenced to nine to 10 years in prison.

"The other inmate involved was immediately identified and isolated," Nantel said.

The Corrections Department is working with the Worcester County District Attorney's office in the investigation, she said.

"We'll share our results with the D.A.'s office," she said. "From there they'll decide whether charges will be filed. Obviously the other inmate will face disciplinary measures."

More than 130 people have accused Geoghan of sexual abuse during his 30- year career in six parishes. Geoghan was defrocked in 1998.

The Catholic Church paid millions of dollars from civil suits filed in connection with allegations against Geoghan. The church is still dealing with a settlement for others who say they were abused.

Earlier this month, a group rejected a settlement offer of $55 million from the Boston Archdiocese.

The Rev. Christopher Coyne, a spokesman for the Boston Archdiocese, spoke about Geoghan's death soon after the state's announcement.

Coyne said the church "offers prayers for the repose of John's soul and extends its prayers and consolation to his beloved sister Kathy at this time of personal loss."

Luise Dittrich, communications director of Voice of the Faithful, a support group of lay Catholics for survivors of sexual abuse by clergy, said Geoghan's death will not make life easier for his victims.

"It's a very sordid end to a very sordid story," Dittrich said. "It's our feeling that a violent act like this does a lot of negative things to the psyche of survivors who are trying to heal and trying to come to peace with what has happened to them. Any kind of violence like this will just stir up pain all over again."

She added, "It's just hideous all around."

The 2002 verdict pertained to only one case, in which he was charged with indecent assault and battery against a 10-year-old boy. The boy was a college student when he testified that Geoghan reached under his swimming suit and grabbed his buttocks while the two were in a pool at the Waltham Boys and Girls Club in 1991.

Geoghan said he touched the boy only to help him out of the pool.

A psychiatrist testified that Geoghan acknowledged having sexual fantasies about children.

"We discussed his ability to control his sexual fantasies and his sexual feelings about women and boys," testified Dr. Edward Messner, a Boston-based psychiatrist who said he treated Geoghan between December 1994 and July 1996.

Also during the trial, jurors in Middlesex County Superior Court heard from Archbishop Alfred C. Hughes, who once oversaw the Boston area.

In 1991, Hughes testified, he forbade Geoghan from going to the swimming club after a friend of the boy's family complained to the church.

Hughes said he made that decision based on a report that Geoghan had been proselytizing at the pool there and had conversations that could be interpreted as "prurient."

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2003-08-23 08:18pm

Oh no, what a tragedy.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-08-23 08:22pm

Good, and I hope the guy who did it gets off on a technicality.

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2003-08-23 08:24pm

Funny thing is - both www.freerepublic.com
and www.democraticunderground.com are
on the same wavelength regarding this scuzzbag

Montcalm · Post by **Montcalm** » 2003-08-23 08:33pm

Poor little child molester i hope someone showed him what the effect of recieving a cock in his ass does.

Bob McDob · Post by **Bob McDob** » 2003-08-23 09:38pm

Yeah, of course it was an "accident".

Ender · Post by **Ender** » 2003-08-23 10:12pm

One down, too god damned many to go.

Damaramu · Post by **Damaramu** » 2003-08-23 10:19pm

Enjoy your hell, pervert.

Gil Hamilton · Post by **Gil Hamilton** » 2003-08-23 10:28pm

On must remember that any child abuser is going to have a truly unpleasant experience in prison. After all, many of the inmates there are parents and really, really don't take well to them. I'm not suprised that this happened.

Jason von Evil · Post by **Jason von Evil** » 2003-08-23 10:33pm

Ah, I love justice.

Perinquus · Post by **Perinquus** » 2003-08-23 10:42pm

As a cop. I've often found it intriguing that that there are certain types of offenses and offenders that arouse contempt, disgust and hatred even in the hearts of hardened, violent criminals - certain things that even those people consider to be intolerable behavior. Child molesters are just about at the top of the list. They don't tend to have an easy time in prison, assuming they even survive long. I, for one, will shed no tears for them.

Sriad · Post by **Sriad** » 2003-08-23 11:51pm

[tasteless thought]So, cost the Catholic Church $55 million, did he? Someone ought to point this out to Chick, he could tell his followers to become Catholic priests and molest children to bring down the "Great Whore."
[/tastelessness]

But yea. Hard to get worked up over something like this. So, I think I won't

HemlockGrey · Post by **HemlockGrey** » 2003-08-24 12:02am

I've never understood how stuff like these happens. Aren't prisoners, like, in their cells? Who's bright idea is it to let the inmates in anything more than a white-collar prison wander about?

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-08-24 12:22am

HemlockGrey wrote:I've never understood how stuff like these happens. Aren't prisoners, like, in their cells? Who's bright idea is it to let the inmates in anything more than a white-collar prison wander about?

Only really violent offenders get solitary confinement.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-08-24 12:25am

Sea Skimmer wrote:
HemlockGrey wrote:I've never understood how stuff like these happens. Aren't prisoners, like, in their cells? Who's bright idea is it to let the inmates in anything more than a white-collar prison wander about?
Only really violent prisoners get solitary confinement.

Howedar · Post by **Howedar** » 2003-08-24 12:36am

Catholic as I may be, I will shed not the slightest tear for that pile of shit.

Good riddance. I feel confident that he's continuing to get what he deserves.

Spyder · Post by **Spyder** » 2003-08-24 12:39am

Sea Skimmer wrote:
HemlockGrey wrote:I've never understood how stuff like these happens. Aren't prisoners, like, in their cells? Who's bright idea is it to let the inmates in anything more than a white-collar prison wander about?
Only really violent offenders get solitary confinement.

I'd say beating someone to death counts as "really violent". Of course the other guy may have been imprisoned for something else.

kojikun · Post by **kojikun** » 2003-08-24 12:59am

i find it incredibly odd that these pedophiles lack the ability to keep their fantasies in their heads, like the rest of humanity. maybe its just that we only hear of pedophiles who actually rape kids, not the ones who keep their fantasies as fantasies. i bet thats it.

Spyder · Post by **Spyder** » 2003-08-24 05:30am

kojikun wrote:i find it incredibly odd that these pedophiles lack the ability to keep their fantasies in their heads, like the rest of humanity. maybe its just that we only hear of pedophiles who actually rape kids, not the ones who keep their fantasies as fantasies. i bet thats it.

I've always been of the opinion that if something like that stays inside your head it's your problem. If it's let out and used to cause harm to others then it becomes someone else's problem. Once it becomes someone else's problem then sooner or later police are going to get involved and you'll be returned with a whole bunch of problems.

Long story short, either keep it to yourself or see a shrink, otherwise you're going to wind up as everyone's problem.

Post by **The Yosemite Bear** » 2003-08-24 06:00am

Damaramu wrote:Enjoy your hell, pervert.

given the Catholic Dogma he's likely to be burried upside down while things do evil things to his feet and lowerparts for all of eternaty.

Gotta love the circles for the worst of the worst.

The Duchess of Zeon · Post by **The Duchess of Zeon** » 2003-08-24 07:59am

And this is why the American prison system--without an ounce of sarcasm intended--is the greatest thing on Earth. Rot in hell, bastard.

InnerBrat · Post by **InnerBrat** » 2003-08-24 08:12am

This is where my absolute abhoration for vigilante justice and my belief that paedophilia is an uncontrollable fetish (alhtouh Koji's right on the 'keep it in your head' philosophy) actually prevent mye from echoing the sentiments of the rest of the board.

*shrugs* he should have rotted in gaol for longer.

Crazy_Vasey · Post by **Crazy_Vasey** » 2003-08-24 08:15am

Death is too good for his type, but, unfortunately, we can't give him what he really deserves, so a violent death will have to do. Good riddance to bad rubbish.

The Duchess of Zeon · Post by **The Duchess of Zeon** » 2003-08-24 08:35am

innerbrat wrote:This is where my absolute abhoration for vigilante justice and my belief that paedophilia is an uncontrollable fetish (alhtouh Koji's right on the 'keep it in your head' philosophy) actually prevent mye from echoing the sentiments of the rest of the board.

*shrugs* he should have rotted in gaol for longer.

It wasn't vigilante justice--it was scum cleaning up scum. Very efficient, and saves taxpayer dollars.

Wouldn't an uncontrollable fetish be a psychosis?

Tribun · Post by **Tribun** » 2003-08-24 08:38am

I did know, that such a scum ranks very low on the ladder in prison, so that this happens, is not really a surprise. Thats life and we should go on, without thinking too much aboout it.....