By Sheila Sanchez
Los Gatos Patch
February 8, 2011
http://losgatos.patch.com/articles/man-charged-with-beating-los-gatos-priest-to-appear-in-court-today
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Supporters of William Lynch, charged with assaulting Father Jerold Lindner at the Sacred Heart Jesuit Center in Los Gatos on May 10, 2010, will gather at the Santa Clara County Superior Courthouse Wednesday morning to show support while he appears for his preliminary hearing.
A hearing scheduled Tuesday morning was postponed until Wednesday, because the judge hearing the case is having surgery on her foot, said Lynch's attorney, Pat Harris.
The case had been assigned to Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Andrea Bryan, but because of the foot surgery, it has now been assigned to Judge David Cena in Department 34.
"They'll put witnesses on to discuss whether or not there's enough evidence for the case to go to trial," said Harris.
"The wrong man is on trial," he said as he entered the courthouse early Tuesday morning to represent a client in another case.
The supporters are part of a network of families that participated in the Catholic home masses and camping trips where they allege Lindner sexually abused several children, including Lynch, said group spokeswoman Debbie Lukas.
According to the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office, Lynch assaulted Lindner, 65, after entering the center's reception area saying he had a death notification to make regarding a member of the defrocked priest's family.
Lynch, 44, turned himself in on Oct. 29, 2010, after the DA announced it would arrest him as a result of the alleged assault.
According to the Rev. John P. McGarry, the provincial of the California Province of the Society of Jesus, Lynch's allegations were first made in 1997 about abuse that occurred in 1975. He also said Lindner has never been charged with a crime.
In 1997, the law firm Casper, Meadows and Schwartz filed a lawsuit on behalf of Lynch and his brother Bart against the California Western Province of the Society of Jesus, charging gross acts of sexual misconduct against children, said Lukas. The church settled the case out of court.
The suit alleged the Lynch boys, who were 7 and 5 years old at the time, were raped in the woods and forced to have oral sex with each other while Lindner watched. Lindner has been accused of abuse by nearly a dozen people, including his own sister, nieces and nephews, added Lukas.
“Church leaders continue to trivialize the horrors that were inflicted on us as children,” said Lukas. "In our opinion, church authorities are concerned for their self-image and deny responsibility to protect their own, rather than following the law.”
Lynch's supporters have set up a fund to help him pay for his legal expenses. For more information visit williamlynchdefensefund.com/news.html
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