Cross-examination of final Mount Cashel civil trial witness continues

By Barb Sweet
Telegram
June 29, 2016

http://www.thetelegram.com/News/Local/2016-06-29/article-4574535/Cross-examination-of-final-Mount-Cashel-civil-trial-witness-continues/1

Psychologist Peter Badgio told the Mount Cashel civil trial at Newfoundland Supreme Court this morning he doesn't know enough about a particular Christian Brother to say if he was a sexual sadist.Lawyer Will Hiscock is cross-examining Badgio, called as a expert witness for the Roman Catholic Episcopal Corp. of St. John's, which refutes claims it should be held responsible for physical and sexual abuse of boys during the era late 1940s to early 1960s by certain members of the lay order Christian Brothers at the orphanage.

The church maintains it did not oversee the facility.

Badgio, of Philadelphia, Pa., met four test case John Does in 2010. He said he took their reports of abuse as fact as he was asked to evaluate the impact on their lives, not whether it happened.

The Does' lawyer Will Hiscock pointed out Ronald J. Lasik had a custom-made strap and challenged Badgio on whether that was a tool of sexual sadism.

Badgio said he can't give an opinion on that as he does not know enough about the man.

Clearly, he conceded, Lasik was a pedophile.