By Susan Spencer-Wendel
Palm Beach Post
January 17, 2009
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2009/01/17/a1a_priests_0118.html
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| Former Delray priests Francis Guinan (left) and John A. Skehan are accused of misappropriating $8.6 million from their church. |
WEST PALM BEACH — Into the dark-cushioned chairs by the defense table, where murderers and molesters, thugs and thieves have sat, the priests will come this week.
The Revs. John Skehan, 81, and Francis "Frank" Guinan, 66, are scheduled for trial Wednesday, each charged with one count of grand theft over $100,000 - a felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison.
Each is accused of pilfering hundreds of thousands of dollars from the Roman Catholic parish they were tapped to grow and inspire, St. Vincent Ferrer in Delray Beach.
Instead, they left the faithful reeling after their arrests by Delray Beach police in 2006. While accused of misappropriating more than $8 million, they are charged with outright stealing far less. Detective Thomas Whatley referred to them at the time as "professional money launderers."
A priest charged with a crime is extraordinary, of course, but a public trial even more so.
"How much scrutiny does the Catholic Church receive outside the Catholic Church? Not much," said attorney Richard Barlow, who will defend Guinan.
It appears Skehan will attempt to strike a plea deal just before jury selection begins. According to a court filing by his defense attorney, Scott Richardson, the lawyers have reached an "amicable resolution" for Skehan's case, which will be presented to a judge Wednesday morning. One judge rejected a deal that would have put Skehan on probation and allowed him to return to his native Ireland.
Richardson did not respond to requests for comment.
According to prosecutors, Skehan stole $370,751 between 2001 and 2005. He had been pastor at St. Vincent Ferrer for 40 years before retirement in 2003, when Guinan replaced him.
Barlow said Guinan is eager to have his case heard by a jury.
"Father Guinan denies he took any of the church's money inappropriately. All expenses and funds of the church were used for church purposes," Barlow said.
Assistant State Attorney Preston Mighdoll is expected to present evidence of gambling trips that Guinan made with women to the Bahamas and Las Vegas.
The state attorney's office also has declined comment on the case. But in responding to a public records request, prosecutors set the amount of money that Guinan stands accused of stealing at more than $487,000.
The priest's attorney sets the figure at $309,000.
The amounts of money allegedly stolen have decreased over time because of time limits on prosecuting crimes.
It appears Guinan's defense is grounded in the Catholic Church's accounting practices during those years - or lack thereof.
"There's not a lot of accounting oversight for millions of dollars," Barlow said. "It may be difficult for the state to show any money is missing or who took it."
Guinan was formerly represented by top-tier defense attorney David Roth of West Palm Beach. Roth withdrew four months ago, telling a judge that he and Guinan had different opinions on how to defend the case.
According to the police arrest report, the priests funneled offertory money and donations into bank accounts hidden from the Diocese of Palm Beach.
A former female employee of the church, Colleen Head, given immunity by prosecutors, recounted for police the skimming of offertory plates and her wondering how Guinan could afford to live a lavish lifestyle on a priest's salary, according to the court record. She told them of envelopes stripped of cash in an Easter Sunday collection bag that he handed her.
Head has been subpoenaed to testify.
Listed as possible defense witnesses are a host of priests and leaders of the local diocese, including Bishop Gerald Barbarito and Vicar General Charles Notabartolo.
In a statement published after news of the financial scandal broke in 2006, Barbarito said he had cooperated in the investigation and had implemented mandatory audits for parishes every two years.
A spokeswoman for the Diocese of Palm Beach has declined to comment, citing the ongoing criminal case.
Coincidentally, auditors at St. Vincent Ferrer last week were conducting the biennial audit in an office across from that of the current pastor, the Rev. Thomas Skindeleski.
Skindeleski said he will reserve any comment on the case until after a court decision.
"I will say I have asked people to pray more deeply, to consider more strongly the Lord," he said.
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