Former Altar Boy Testifies He Punched Lockeford Priest

By Ross Farrow
Lodi News-Sentinel
March 2, 2012

http://www.lodinews.com/news/article_5494528b-a049-5577-80b8-2442ba356df7.html

A Tracy man who was 13 years old at the time said he punched Father Michael Kelly in the face and apparently broke his jaw after Kelly allegedly tickled him too hard, according to testimony Thursday in San Joaquin County Superior Court.

Joe Bacchetti, 45, testified during Kelly's civil trial that Kelly tickled him so hard during the 1979 incident that it began to hurt him.

Kelly didn't stop tickling him even though Bacchetti said he asked him to stop, until Bacchetti finally punched the priest in the face.

Although Kelly continually tickled Bacchetti, the Tracy resident said he was never abused sexually, nor did he observe Kelly sexually abuse anyone else.