Geoghan's conviction to be erased

[pruner]

Yvonne Abraham
Boston Globe
Aug. 27, 2003 12:00 AM

Dismaying victims of clergy sexual abuse, prosecutors who won a guilty verdict against John Geoghan for molesting a 10-year-old boy said Tuesday his conviction will be erased because the former priest died while appealing the case.

Case law dictates that the court where Geoghan was tried will automatically be ordered to invalidate his 2002 conviction, said Emily LaGrassa, spokeswoman for the Middlesex District Attorney's Office.

"The Supreme Judicial Court has ruled that if a defendant dies while his appeal is pending, the indictments are to be remanded to the trial court with an order that they be dismissed," she said.

<snip>

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0827priest27.html

[liberalhistorian]

1. What a bunch of bullshit!

I may be a paralegal, but this is one case where the law is WRONG! The head-up-their-ass Catholic hierarchy must be happy right now, even though they've totally failed the loyal Catholics that depend on them for leadership.

[atreides1]

2. If the People Don't Like The Law, Change It.

It doesn't matter whether you agree with the law or not it's still the law.

Tell me did you agree with the Federal Court Decision to remove the Ten Commandments from the Alabama State Courthouse?

Well, there are those that feel that the law was WRONG there.

[dfong63]

7. why is it wrong?

the principle seems valid.

[FredScuttle]

8. Tell that to the victims

n/t

[JaneQPublic]

3. It matters little if they erased the conviction...

...if his sentence has been effectively changed from imprisonment to death.

[pruner]

4. I would suspect it might matter in regard to civil suits

n/t

[valniel]

5. I'm not so sure

If a civil suit, for damages, is filed, a criminal conviction would make it impossible, or at least very difficult, to dispute the abuse. If the conviction is erased, the civil liability might not be as clear cut.

[valniel]

6. Thinking alike.

Did not see your post when I started to respond!

[5thGenDemocrat]

9. Civil cases are held to a lower standard than criminal cases

See California v Simpson. OJ was found not guilty of murder, but was found liable in the civil suits.
John
Apples and oranges.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

10. amen