PHILADELPHIA (PA)
Seattle PI
MARYCLAIRE DALE, Associated Press
Updated 7:33 a.m., Monday, September 3, 2012
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The former altar boy’s story was jarring, even amid scores of priest-abuse complaints in Philadelphia.
A policeman’s son, he told authorities in 2009 that he had been raped by three adults — two parish priests and his sixth-grade teacher — during grade school. He’d gone on to a troubled life marked by drug arrests, dropping out of high school and nearly two dozen stints in rehab.
Prosecutors believed his abuse claims. They used his story to help build a landmark conspiracy case against the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia, and dubbed him “Billy” in their 2011 grand jury report.
Now the troubled young man’s credibility will be on the line when two of the men he’s accused go on trial.
“There’s going to be some rough times in cross-examination. There always are,” said Philadelphia lawyer Slade McLaughlin, who represents the 24-year-old in a civil lawsuit against the church. “(But) he’s ready to rock and roll.”
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