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  Priest Sex-Assault Trial Hears Unusual Witness
Father-In-Law Questions Veracity of Alleged Victim

By Jeff Coen
Chicago Tribune
October 21, 2008

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-mcguire-trial-21-oct21,0,6631937.story

Lawyers opened their defense Monday of a former priest accused of sexually assaulting a teen with an unusual witness: an alleged victim's father-in-law.

Donald McGuire, 78, a former spiritual adviser to Mother Teresa, is on trial on charges he engaged in sex acts with a male identified in court only as Dominick in overseas trips when the alleged victim was a minor.

Peter DeMarco of New York, the father-in-law, testified Monday that he has difficulty trusting Dominick, who married his oldest daughter last year.

"Dominick struggles under pressure to tell the truth," DeMarco said under questioning from McGuire's lawyer, Stephen Komie. In the midst of conflict, Dominick has trouble telling things "as they really are," he testified.

Dominick has not been honest with the DeMarco family on his relationship with the daughter and on financial matters, DeMarco said. The rift grew so wide that Dominick's civil attorney, a family relative, walked his daughter down the aisle, DeMarco said.

Under cross-examination by Assistant U.S. Atty. April Perry, DeMarco agreed that his opinion was based on internal family troubles involving his daughter.

The prosecution has presented evidence by several other men in addition to Dominick who testified that McGuire had molested them while they traveled around the globe with him as assistants on religious retreats. Each said they were underage at the time. Dominick said the alleged abuse began when he was 13.

 
 

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