Judge Rejects Deal to Let Priest Go Home, by Tim Malloy, WPTV, January 15, 2009

Judge Rejects Deal to Let Priest Go Home

By Tim Malloy
WPTV
January 15, 2009

http://www.wptv.com/news/local/story/Judge-rejects-deal-to-let-priest-go-home/-qk4Yv9n70Su-BX8xKrpLQ.cspx

PALM BEACH COUNTY, FL — NewsChannel Five has learned that attorneys for one of the two priests accused of embezzling 8.6 million dollars from St Vincent Ferrer Church in Del Ray Beach were offered a deal from the State Attorney's office that would have allowed the priest to go home to Ireland 'without facing trial or imprisonment'.

The Irish born Father John Skehan would not have been allowed to ever return to the United States.

Skehan, according to a reliable source, wanted to accept the deal and go home.

We have also learned that Judge Sandra McSorley, who was to try the case, was outraged by the offer and refused to accept the plea.

She has been moved to North County in the annual rotation of judges and won't have to try the case.

It will now be tried by Judge Krista Marx.

The priest embezzlement has become a sensation in Ireland which has sent documentary crews and network correspondents to Florida to cover the case.

Guinan was arrested in October of 2006 when he stepped off a plane from Australia, and was, for a time, represented by top local attorney David Roth.

Roth today would say nothing about possible plea deals other than to say he and Guinan, who wants a trial, parted amicably and he has done all he can to be helpful to Guinan's new attorney..

The priests are accused of systematically looting the Delray Beach parish collection plate to finance a lifestyle of heavy drinking, romantic affairs with women and gambling.

They were arrested in the fall of 2006 and have been awaiting trial.

Given the profound embarrassment of having two Bishops chased out of town by sexual scandals involving young men, Bishop Keith Simons in 1998 and Bishop Anthony O'Connell in 2002, the Diocese of Palm Beach County was trying to restore its image when the Skehan- Guinan scandal broke.

The fact that two priests were able to loot the collection plate stunned the diocese.

Bishop Gerald Barbarito who says he has cooperated with the investigation will likely have to testify about how church finances are monitored.

The Catholic Church was severely criticized for its lack of transparency.

The fact that Guinan will go to trial and Skehan will not be allowed to go back to Ireland will assure the financial workings of the Diocese will be examined closely.

Jury selection is next week. And according to a reliable source twenty new witnesses will be presented.