October 29, 2004

Clergy trial once listed on Worcester DA John Conte's web site postponed.

Posting on the Massachusetts trial court computer system today confirms that prior to the trial date of Rev. James D Campbell the event was rescheduled by the court.  Rev Campbell has pleaded not guilty to 1 count Unnatural Rape, 1 count Unnatural and Lascivious Acts, 2 counts Assault and Battery, and 2 counts Furnishing Alcohol to a minor.  Rev Campbell  was first indicted October 9, 2003.  

The charges stem from an incident that allegedly involved a male victim who was 16 at the time. Rev. Campbell was an assistant pastor at St. Joseph's Church, West Warwick, R.I.  Lawyers for the defendant attempted to have the indictment dismissed December 2003.

The two prior docket entries show that in criminal case number WOCR2003-01575 in Worcester superior court that two pretrial conferences, one on October 12, and one October 22 were held as scheduled.  Presently, this case currently stands before the court rescheduled for a November 1, 2004 status review hearing.  It is possible at this hearing for district attorney Conte to drop the criminal charges which currently are pending, or Rev Campbell to plead guilty 

complete article on link provided above.

October 28, 2004

Congratulations to the Boston Red Sox (and their fans)..................We Believe

October 27, 2004

Man cleared in horn case

WORCESTER— Richard Chesnis was found not responsible yesterday in Central District Court for violating a city ordinance regulating bullhorn use after he used the device during the installation ceremony of Bishop Robert J. McManus.

Mr. Chesnis told the court that he was told by a police officer that he had to get a permit to use the bullhorn from City Hall. He was then “given the runaround” back and forth from City Hall to the police chief’s office. When he asked for a permit, he said he was denied his civil rights and “proceeded to the scene of the cathedral.”

Voice note: This is just another illustration of "law enforcement" protecting the Worcester Bishop, apparently the Worcester Police, DA Conte and Captain Thomas G. Greene are proud of their record of allowing over 100 innocent children to be victims of sexual abuse without any prosecutions.  As we know, not ONE Priest from the Worcester diocese has ever been subjected to questioning by the State Police C-Pac unit of DA Conte's in relation to clergy sexual abuse since the crises became public in 2002. 

October 26, 2004

Clergy Abuse Protester Richard Chesnis of Worcester beats the rap.

Clergy abuse protester Richard Chesnis of Worcester, appeared in Worcester central district court at 2 pm today to face charges in relation to a citation for illegal use of a bullhorn at Bishop Robert J. McManus installation. The citation was dismissed.

Use of the bullhorn at a protest had been already determined prior to the installation Friday, May 14, 2004 of Bishop Robert J. McManus.  Mr. Richard Chesnis ceased the use of his bullhorn that day after the citation was issued by Worcester police.

October 22, 2004

DA: Grand jury got Messier info

DSS findings given by Conte

WORCESTER— District Attorney John J. Conte said yesterday his office presented information regarding an alleged sexual abuse allegation against the Rev. Raymond P. Messier to the grand jury but the grand jury decided not to issue an indictment.

Mr. Conte said his office received information from the state Department of Social Services and presented it to the grand jury. The grand jury also heard what he called “live testimony” of the complaining witness. The grand jury then issued a “no bill,” which means it would not issue an indictment against Rev. Messier.

No discussions were held with the Diocese of Worcester regarding this issue, he said. The diocese is required by state law and a grand jury subpoena to report any allegations of sexual misconduct, which it did in this case, he added. He said the case was never discussed with anyone in the diocese.

Voice note: Why did it take ONE YEAR to present this case to a grand jury?  It was not until a phone call was made to the DA's office by the Worcester Voice acknowledging knowledge of the 51A against Rev Messier that proceedings actually began.  No John and his staff had hidden this one nicely.  It has been well documented that DA Conte and his Captain Greene both Catholic have a dismal performance record in prosecuting the Worcester dioceses.

State takes exception to Sizzler comments
DA ‘grandstanding,’ official suggests

State officials yesterday rebutted comments by Worcester District Attorney John J. Conte that he has subpoenaed or even requested records from them about the Sizzler carnival-ride accident that killed a Shrewsbury man last month.
Kathleen C. Ford, a spokeswoman for Edward A. Flynn, the state’s secretary of public safety, suggested that Mr. Conte has been “grandstanding.”

“This is somewhat stunning,” she said. “We are an active participant in the investigation and we have supplied documents voluntarily.

“He has not requested one single document,” she said. “Everything he has we have offered him.”

Mr. Conte did not return a call seeking comment yesterday.

Voice note: Once again the use of a grand jury subpoena come into question.  We see DA Conte has presented false information.  This pattern also reflects what has been being stated by clergy abuse advocates now for two years, false proclamations on grand jury action that has never occurred. 

October 21, 2004

DSS investigated priest placed on leave

WORCESTER— The Rev. Raymond P. Messier, who was placed on leave in 2002 by the Diocese of Worcester when allegations of sexual misconduct were made, was investigated in 2003 on another allegation by the state Department of Social Services.

DSS took seriously the allegation made against the priest and notified the diocese.

Discussions on the allegations involved the diocese and the office of District Attorney John J. Conte, but Monsignor Thomas J. Sullivan said a decision was made not to seek criminal prosecution against the priest.

Voice note: Why does the Worcester District Attorneys office give information or have discussions with the supervisor of a "alleged Rapist"?  To protect him of course, most are arrested, but not if you are a priest you are protected in Worcester.  State Police detective have never interviewed one priest in the Worcester dioceses accused of clergy sexual abuse since 2002.  What type of investigation is thsi?

October 20, 2004

NO BILL RETURNED: DA JOHN CONTE'S STAFF FAILS TO GET AN INDICTMENT

Once against a familiar situation arises.

Worcester District Attorney John Conte has failed to have justice applied fairly in the case of a Catholic priest of the Worcester Diocese who was charged with an allegation of child sexual abuse.

Lawyer calls diocese settlement offer too low

The Diocese of Worcester has offered ''insulting" settlements to several men who they were molested by priests in parishes there, a lawyer representing 10 of about 25 of the diocese's alleged victims said yesterday.

The attorney, Carmen L. Durso, said the diocese offered $3,000 to one of his clients, a man in his 40s allegedly molested in the 1970s. The diocese offered two of his other clients, brothers allegedly abused while serving as altar boys in the 1980s, $7,500 each, Durso said.

''These offers are unreasonable, insulting, and unchristian," Durso said. ''The offers are so low -- they're 10 to 20 percent of what other places have offered -- they devalue the lives of the people abused."

''These offers are certainly lower," said Sullivan, noting the Supreme Judicial Court ruling this year against plaintiffs seeking to outlaw state caps on the legal liability of charitable institutions. ''All future litigation, not just in clergy sexual abuse, will be far less because of the charitable immunity caps."

The diocese also has kept its offers low, he said, because officials contend many of the cases lack merit.

Diocese urged to settle claims

Lawyer calls current offers ‘un-Christian’

WORCESTER— Boston lawyer Carmen L. Durso yesterday called on the Diocese of Worcester to bypass the court system and enter into direct negotiations to settle the pending lawsuits alleging clergy sexual abuse.

Lawyers representing the diocese are offering as little as $3,000 or $7,500 in some of these cases, said Mr. Durso, who represents 10 alleged clergy abuse victims in the Worcester diocese. He called the offers “insulting, demeaning and un-Christian.”

October 19, 2004

Worcester Diocese offers lowest clergy abuse settlement amounts in the nation.

Attorney Carmen Durso stood in front of the full-sized statue of Moses in Worcester Superior Court yesterday and made a stunning statement.

Settlement offers made to clergy sexual abuse victims in Worcester are the lowest in the United States. Offers presented by Travelers Insurance Co. representative Joanne  Goulka, an attorney, were as low as $3,000 for some and as high as $7,500 for others which Mr. Durso believes are insulting and demeaning to victims.

Special hearing before Judge Jeffrey Locke assigned to Worcester clergy sexual abuse cases today.

October 12, 2004

Policy will face first challenge

The Worcester Voice has called upon the Diocese of Worcester to show how serious it is in enforcing its new ministerial code of conduct. The diocese need not look beyond Leominster to find a case worthy of its scrutiny of ethical and moral practices by clergy and a bishop. According to the new code, bishops and clergy are being held to an even higher standard that was was promulgated in the decree. 

It was a cold wet day in December 2000 when arrival of a new priest was announced during Mass at St. Leo Parish in Leominster. The faithful were informed that because of the illness of Father Dolan, the new priest, Father Peter, would be celebrating Masses. 

Within a week of his arrival, Father Peter was in the parish elementary school and he attended the seventh and eighth grade classes on a regular basis. No priest had ever spent so much time in the school. Other than the occasional Mass for a class, Fathers Doran and Dolan were never seen.

October 10, 2004

Diocese code targets abuse

WORCESTER- The Diocese of Worcester, which has faced more than a dozen lawsuits in recent years alleging sexual abuse by priests, Friday issued a formal Code of Ministerial Conduct for all diocesan workers and volunteers who work with children and teenagers.

The code states that bishops, clergy and deacons, because of the work they do and because of their positions, are held "to higher standards of behavior" than other church workers. Clergy must adhere to the code and must avoid "even the appearance of impropriety both inside and outside the scope of their ministry."

October 7, 2004

Priest to get trial date