The Chicago Tribune
5:25 p.m. CDT, April 5, 2012
Dave Warner Reuters
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| Former priest Brennan exits the courthouse for lunch on the opening day of his child sex abuse trial in Philadelphia (TIM SHAFFER, REUTERS / March 26, 2012) |
PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) – A former U.S. Marine testifying in a sex abuse case rocking the Philadelphia Roman Catholic Archdiocese stood by his testimony under cross-examination on Thursday that he had been molested by a priest in the case.
The witness, now 30, said Rev. James Brennan molested him at the priest’s apartment in West Chester, Pennsylvania in 1996 when he was 14. In Thursday’s testimony, he called Brennan “a sick man.”
Brennan, 50, is charged with attempted rape. Also on trial is Monsignor William Lynn, former secretary of the clergy, charged with child endangerment and conspiracy.
Prosecutors say Lynn, the highest ranking U.S. Church official to go to trial in an abuse case, covered up abuse claims against priests, many of whom were simply transferred to unsuspecting parishes.
Brennan’s accuser cried several times on the stand but sparred combatively with defense attorneys questioning his story. “I feel like Brennan is a sick man,” the witness said. He has testified that the priest had been a friend of his family when he was a teenager.
He has testified he was molested when he spent the night at Brennan’s apartment, where he said they looked at sex chat rooms and pornography on a computer and Brennan molested him in bed.
Seated at the defense table, Brennan showed no emotion.
Defense attorney William Brennan, no relation to the accused priest, noted that the witness in his testimony had described the priest’s computer as a laptop once but called it a desk top another time.
“Maybe I was wrong about the computer,” the witness said, adding, “I am here today because the man molested me.”
“You should be ashamed of yourself,” he told the defense attorney. “I’m going to pray for you because you need help.”
In earlier filings, the defense called the witness a “serial confabulator” and listed times he has run afoul of the law. The filing said he was convicted of making false statements and identity theft and that he stole from his mother.
(Editing By Ellen Wulfhorst and Todd Eastham)
WHO’S ON TRIAL HERE… REV. BRENNAN OR THE ACCUSER/VICTIM?
FROM THIS LINE OF QUESTIONING, I GATHER THE ACCUSER/VICTIM’S PAST IS ON TRIAL . SHOULD THIS BE DRAGGED INTO THE ISSUE? THIS IS AGAIN TURNING THE GUNS AWAY FROM THE ACCUSED…THE SAME WAY THE INSTITUTION WORKS EVERY TIME IT IS ACCUSED OF SEXUAL MISCONDUCT/CHILD ABUSE/PORN/RAPE, ETC.
IT HAS TO BE SOMEONE ELSE’S FAULT SO LET’S LOOK FOR THE LOG IN THE ACCUSER’S EYE. BUT THE SPLINTER IN THE INSITIUTION’S EYE HAS CAUSED MORE SIGHT IMPAIRMENT (INSIGHT LOSS) THAN THE LOG IN ANYONE ELSE’S.
THIS PSYCHOLOGY WORKS WELL FOR THEM. IT’S AN IMPORTANT SUBJECT IN SEMINARY.