Ex-Coach Malia Enters Hospital
Former students who say they were abused by the Cheverus coach are flooded with calls of support

By Peter Pochna
Portland Press Herald
March 5, 2000

[See other articles about Charles Malia.]

Cheverus High School coaching legend Charles Malia checked into a hospital for psychiatric care Saturday as news broke that he had admitted to having sexual contact with former students in the 1960s and 1970s.

Meanwhile, alleged victims of Malia -- who recently went public with their stories -- say they were flooded with calls of support and praise for coming forward and discussing painful secrets.

The Cheverus community, including board members, staff and families of students, also responded with shock and sadness to Saturday's Portland Press Herald report of Malia's abusive behavior. Many said they feel sympathy for both the former track coach and men who claim to be his victims.

Malia, 55, admitted to the newspaper to having sexual contact with some of his students. But he insisted that the behavior stopped years ago.

"I have some guilt," Malia said.

Peter O'Donnell, a former administrator at the private Portland school, said Malia was hit hard by the publication of his admission, but is getting the help he needs.

"The secrets are no longer there, the lies are no longer there," said O'Donnell, regional director of the Maine Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse. "You have to get rid of all of those before you can start on the road to recovery."

Peter Turner, chairman of the Cheverus board of trustees, described Saturday's news as tragic.

"I had been under the impression that he was denying everything," Turner said. "This is a very sad tale. Obviously, there are a lot of hurting people."

Portland Police Chief Michael Chitwood said the news will help the police department's ongoing investigation of Malia, if it prompts more victims to come forward.

Malia has not been charged with any crimes, because the statute of limitations has expired on all his alleged offenses.

His statements last week broke open a controversy that had been building since the summer of 1997, when a former student told Cheverus he was abused by Malia. Malia denied the allegation at the time but was pressured to resign by the end of the 1997-98 school year.

More allegations surfaced in recent weeks, when several former students told state legislators and Portland police that Malia abused them in the 1960s and 1970s. The men submitted testimony to the Legislature in response to a pending bill that would make it easier to sue people who sexually abuse minors.

The allegations include Malia grabbing a boy's genitals in a school shower, fondling a boy's genitals during a massage after a track workout, and masturbating another boy during visits to the youngster's apartment.

The publication of Malia's admission prompted many calls of support to the house of Glenn Works, 36, one of Malia's alleged victims, who took the bold step of talking publicly.

"The community is being very supportive," he said. "This has been difficult, but I feel we have won a victory.

"I think this will help guide a lot of other people to the light and show that there are avenues of help out there."

Works and three other men who talked with police and the Press Herald said they were too ashamed and intimidated as youths to accuse Malia when the abuses happened.

For Malia, Saturday was a dark day, according to O'Donnell, who helped check Malia into a local hospital. O'Donnell would not say which hospital.

"Charlie is clearly having a difficult time," said O'Donnell, who attended Cheverus and served in the early 1990s as the school's director of alumni affairs. "There are a lot of feelings of guilt and shame, and he's trying to deal with that."

Malia's success as a coach earned him national recognition. His track and cross country teams won 46 state championships. Between 1969 and 1977 his teams set a national record by winning 129 consecutive regular-season meets. He was elected to the National Amateur Sports Hall of Fame.

When Malia first learned this week that the paper planned to publish the allegations against him, he denied any wrongdoing.

"This will destroy me," he said from his Old Orchard Beach apartment Monday. "I might as well just go and step in front of a train."

In a subsequent interview Friday, he opened up about his past.

"I have some guilt," he said. Later he added: "But I do know this: This behavior ceased a long time ago."

Police can only file charges against Malia if they find offenses that occurred within the past six years.

Chitwood said his department has only found allegations of offenses that took place beyond the statute of limitations.

"Certainly as a result of these public admissions, if anybody has information, I certainly welcome them to come forward and talk to the police," Chitwood said.

Some Cheverus alumni criticized the school Saturday for letting Malia's secrets fester for decades.

"That this went undetected for so long is what bothers me," said Paul Kendrick, a Portland investment consultant who graduated from Cheverus in 1968. "I hope this raises people's consciousness."

When Cheverus heard of the initial allegation in 1997, the school reported it to the Department of Human Services. DHS then referred the case to the Department of Education. The school said it never heard back from either agency.

The school accepted Malia's resignation, rather than firing him, because the accuser would not make a formal charge against Malia, school officials said, and Malia adamantly denied the allegation.

On Monday, Malia said he thought that by resigning, the controversy would quietly disappear. Instead, more former students came forward with allegations.

Works and three other men, all in their 30s and 40s, have accused Malia of sexually abusing them when he taught and coached them. They are part of a support group of about 10 men who are trying to hold Malia and the school more accountable for the actions they say happened 25 years ago. Others in the group include former students who say they saw Malia abuse students.

The group wants a formal apology from Cheverus and wants Cheverus to take Malia's name off the school track, which was dedicated to 30-year coach in 1994.

Cheverus trustee Turner said he expects board members will meet with the group soon. Turner said he's not sure if Malia's name will be removed from the track, but that the matter is under consideration.

John Clark, a leader of the group whose brother is one of Malia's alleged victims, said he would be shocked if the school does not change the name of the track.

He said he received a lot of support Saturday for his efforts.

"The whole thing is just sad," Clark said. "It's a good thing that Malia said what he did, but there's still a lot of pain and distrust."

Staff Writer Peter Pochna can be contacted at 791-6329 or at: ppochna@pressherald.com.