Friday, August 15, 2003

Rev. Kelley pleads guilty in rape cases

Clergyman says he wants 'closure for these people'
 
Emilie Astell, TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

WORCESTER- The Rev. Robert E. Kelley unexpectedly pleaded guilty yesterday in Superior Court to raping two girls in Leominster and Gardner starting more than 20 years ago.

Judge John S. McCann ordered Rev. Kelley, 61, to undergo a presentencing evaluation, to be discussed in court Sept. 24. Sentencing is set for Oct. 1.

When asked by Judge McCann whether the facts were true, Rev. Kelley answered in a strong voice, resting his knuckles against a table as he stood before the judge.

"I'm guilty," he said. "I want closure for these people."

Rev. Kelley's decision not to go to trial was the result of his desire to end court proceedings, according to his lawyer, Anthony M. Salerno.

"I was anticipating a trial," Mr. Salerno said, "but in the last couple of days, he wanted closure for everybody."

Yesterday's court appearance was supposed to be a continuation of a hearing started Tuesday to discuss the medical and counseling records of one victim.

Rev. Kelley faces a maximum of life in prison on four counts of unnatural rape of a child, and two counts of rape of a child.

He raped two children between 1980 and 1986, prosecutors said. One victim was assaulted between the ages of 6 and 9 while a parishioner at St. Cecilia parish in Leominster. The other victim was a 9-year-old Gardner girl.

John Mackey, the father of one of the victims who spoke for the family, said he would refrain from making statements about Rev. Kelley, the Catholic church and the Worcester diocese until after the sentencing.

"It was meaningful to hear him plead guilty," Mr. Mackey said, speaking to reporters with tears in his eyes. "This makes things much easier. It starts us on the path to closure."

His daughter, Heather Mackey, 27, of Tewksbury, sat in the back of the courtroom while Judge McCann recited the formalities necessary to accept a guilty plea. Ms. Mackey has spoken publicly about the sexual abuse, although she declined to do so yesterday.

Also in the courtroom was the other victim, Diane Gallien of Ashburnham, who tried unsuccessfully to hold back tears during the proceedings..

Assistant District Attorney William M. McGourty said the rapes involving Ms. Mackey began in February 1982 when she was 6. The priest raped the child either in the rectory of St. Cecilia's or in the school building. On one occasion when Rev. Kelley raped the child, she had been left in his care by her grandmother.

When Ms. Mackey was 7, the priest forced her to perform a sex act on him and at other times had sexual intercourse with her, the prosecutor said.

Rev. Kelley was later reassigned to Sacred Heart parish in Gardner, where he raped Ms. Gallien, who had come to visit him from St. Cecilia, according to Assistant District Attorney Kathleen K. Dellostritto.

If he receives a life sentence, Rev. Kelley could be eligible for parole in 15 years. He may have to provide a DNA sample to be stored with the state police and may be subject to registering as a sex offender.

Judge McCann said Rev. Kelley may also be placed on trial to determine whether he is a sexually dangerous person, a designation that might require him to remain in a treatment center for the rest of his life.

Mr. Salerno said the priest's 30-day evaluation will determine whether he poses a danger and whether he has any psychological problems. While waiting to be sentenced, Rev. Kelley is on pretrial probation and must report by telephone to the probation office on a regular basis.

The priest has not been active in the priesthood since 1986 but has never been defrocked, according to Mr. Salerno. Rev. Kelley served 6½ years in state prison after pleading guilty in 1990 to raping a Gardner girl while assigned to Sacred Heart.

In a deposition for a civil suit against him, Rev. Kelley estimated that he had been involved in 50 to 100 incidents of sexual abuse of girls in Leominster and other communities.

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