CAMBRIDGE (MA)
Nashua Telegraph
By DENISE LAVOIE, The Associated Press
Published: Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2005
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Prosecutors rested their child rape case against Paul Shanley on Monday after a former classmate of his accuser testified that the former priest and the boy left Sunday school classes together on several occasions.
Prosecutors have said Shanley, one of the most notorious figures in the clergy sex abuse scandal, would pull the boy from catechism classes at St. Jean’s parish in Newton in order to rape him in the church confessional, pews, rectory and bathroom.
Brendan Moriarty, who attended CCD classes with Shanley’s accuser in the 1980s, said several boys were frequently sent out of the classroom when they became rowdy, including Shanley’s accuser. He said he recalled seeing Shanley and his accuser leaving the classroom together.
After prosecutors called their final witness, Judge Stephen Neel threw out one of the three child rape charges at the request of Shanley’s attorney. That leaves him facing two counts of raping a child and two counts of indecent assault and battery on a child. The maximum sentence would be life in prison.
Posted by kshaw at February 1, 2005 06:40 AM