Los Gatos Priest Beating Case Trial Now on Schedule for May

By Sheila Sanchez
The Patch
March 30, 2012

http://losgatos.patch.com/articles/trial-for-los-gatos-priest-beating-case-now-on-schedule


The trial for a San Francisco man accused of beating a priest at the Los Gatos Sacred Heart Jesuit Center in May of 2010 is on schedule now after the parties involved agreed to proceed during a hearing Thursday.

Pretrial motions are set for 9:30 a.m., Friday, April 6, said Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney Gemetti.

Jury selection will begin on May 14 and the presentation of the evidence is expected to start on or around May 29 before presiding Superior Court Judge David Cena.

"I don't want to say the trial will start for sure because I've said that before, but the whole point of the conference today (Thursday) was to confirm everybody's availability," Gemetti said. "There may be some minor changes on how things go, but [the trial] will happen around that time frame."

Lynch, 44, is being represented by Pat Harris and Mark Geragos, with the Los Angeles-based law firm of Geragos & Geragos.

"We are simply working on the judge's and the attorneys' scheduling on Thursday and hope to be able to go to trial as soon as everyone's schedule permits," wrote Harris in an email to Los Gatos Patch seeking comment on the case.

Lynch has been arraigned on one count of felony assault with intent to cause great bodily injury and one count of elder abuse under circumstances likely to produce great bodily harm or death, Gemetti said

Authorities say he walked into the center's reception area the afternoon of May 10, 2010, asked to speak to Father Jerold Lindner. He said he had a death notification about a member of the priest's family and then allegedly assaulted him. He has pleaded not guilty to both charges.

The case is being closely watched by critics of the Roman Catholic Church who allege Lindner raped and sodomized Lynch and his brother when they were small boys in the '70s while on camping trips.

If a jury convicts Lynch, he's could serve a maximum of four years in state prison. The court, however, could grant him probation and give him up to one year in county jail, Gemetti said.

Asked if the Hall of Justice on Hedding Street in San Jose will be under extra security during the trial proceedings, Gemetti said she was sure the courthouse would work out those concerns if they arose during the trial.

"I'm anxious to begin. I'm pleased that we now have a schedule that will bring this case to a conclusion relatively soon," Gemetti said.