January 03, 2005

Prosecutors still considering bid to lock up pedophile priest

BOSTON (MA)
Grand Forks Herald

DENISE LAVOIE
Associated Press

BOSTON - Prosecutors are not prepared to immediately drop their bid to keep former priest James Porter locked up for the rest of his life, even though the notorious pedophile with a history of abuse allegations dating to the 1970s in Minnesota is hospitalized with incurable cancer.

Bristol First Assistant District Attorney Renee Dupuis said Monday that prosecutors need to get an update from Porter's doctor before deciding whether he should still face trial on their petition to have him civilly committed as a sexually dangerous person.

"There are plenty of people who are diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses that respond well to treatment, and we've prosecuted plenty of people who were 'terminally ill' and survived for years," Dupuis said Monday.

"We are taking a very practical and thorough and conscientious approach to whether or not Mr. Porter is able to be tried," she said.

Posted by kshaw at January 3, 2005 04:58 PM