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Man found innocent of attack on priest; ...who brutally raped hiim and molested his little brother, as children
Topic Started: Jul 5 2012, 09:05 PM (256 Views)
Amanda
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Senior Carp
Amazing that it turned out this way legally - WAY past the statute of limitations. Frankly, I don't really understand the reasoning. Seems almost to have been a para-legal thing. Former child-victim had expected to go to jail.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/william-lynch-acquitted-beating-priest-abused/story?id=16706803

Edited by Amanda, Jul 5 2012, 09:06 PM.
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We should tolerate eccentricity in others, almost to the point of lunacy, provided no one else is harmed.
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"Daily Telegraph", London July 27 2005
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Horace
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HOLY CARP!!!
All juries are essentially stupid and incapable of following the "letter of the law" over their own emotions. Sometimes, that's a good thing.
As a good person, I implore you to do as I, a good person, do. Be good. Do NOT be bad. If you see bad, end bad. End it in yourself, and end it in others. By any means necessary, the good must conquer the bad. Good people know this. Do you know this? Are you good?
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kenny
HOLY CARP!!!
If the jury disobeyed the judges instructions and voted with their conscience (sympathetic to an alleged child rape victim) instead of the law and the evidence presented in the courtroom I think this is a very sad verdict.

It's like they swapped which guy was on trial, and for what.
That's messed up.
Lynch should go to jail for the assault; Vigilante justice is never okay.
This makes a mockery of our justice system.

Since the statue of limitations had passed on the alleged rape, could the jury even be told about why he assaulted the old guy?

I hope there's an appeal the Lynch goes to jail.
This was not the time or place for jurors to make a statement about the Catholic Church's child abuse problem.
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Amanda
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Yes, jurors are emotionally swayed (n.b., recent case found against Cleveland Clinic in favor of birth-damaged baby where mid-wife appears egregiously at fault).

I'm not sure what went on here, though. Hoping for more legal observations.thoughts. It looks like the jury were dead-locked in this three-week trial. If so, does that automatically free the defendant?

Still as always, confused about the difference between criminal court and civil court (as priest WAS already found guilty 16 years ago in civil court (Church paid $625K and "retired" him to rehab home 11 years ago - where he was attacked).

It was certainly a win-win verdict for the attacker ("retaliator") as he had been willing to go to prison in order to bring his old rapist to court and "shame" him. He certainly succeeded in that as the demonstrators appear to have taken the trial as an opportunity to picket and chant about pedophilia and Church abuses.

Note that there appear to be even more important ripple effects from successful legal prosecution of pedophilia offenders (by default I'm counting this as one0. Many former youthful victims report having been strengthened psychologically by such results as the Sandusky trial, saying it played a major role in their own ability to see themselves as victims instead of responsible parties, Incredible as it may seem, many or most, DO have that response!

Edited by Amanda, Jul 6 2012, 03:02 PM.
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We should tolerate eccentricity in others, almost to the point of lunacy, provided no one else is harmed.
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"Daily Telegraph", London July 27 2005
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George K
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Finally
Brief hijack, just for the sake of accuracy. In the case of the midwife, the jury was not allowed to know of the misconduct of the midwife, and therefore they blamed the Cleveland Clinic. This should be more an indictment of how our "legal" system works than the ignorance and emotion of a jury.

Back to your thread...sorry.
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Amanda
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I'm purposely not judging the priest. His wrong-doing seems to have clearly been one of the most ghastly instances of clergy abuse (I'm especially horrified that this priest forced the older brother to molest his younger one). Strictly in legal terms, though, I wonder if this were not a mis-trial as his own attorney seems to have been purposely playing into his attacker's case. First, her summation of "two wrongs don't make a right " is pretty feeble. Also,

Quote:
 
Lynch's attorney declared the priest had perjured himself and even prosecutor Vicki Gemetti said in her opening statement that she expected Lindner to lie on the stand or say he didn't remember certain events.

"The evidence will show [Lindner] molested the defendant all those years ago," she said, but urged the jury to focus on Lynch's attack.


The statute of limitations in those days (six years) is a classic example of why it was needed to be - much - expanded. They were only small children at the time.

[size=5]
We should tolerate eccentricity in others, almost to the point of lunacy, provided no one else is harmed.
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"Daily Telegraph", London July 27 2005
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Amanda
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George K
Jul 6 2012, 03:04 PM
Brief hijack, just for the sake of accuracy. In the case of the midwife, the jury was not allowed to know of the misconduct of the midwife, and therefore they blamed the Cleveland Clinic. This should be more an indictment of how our "legal" system works than the ignorance and emotion of a jury.

Back to your thread...sorry.
I know, that too.

Talk about cros-posting, George! :silly:
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We should tolerate eccentricity in others, almost to the point of lunacy, provided no one else is harmed.
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"Daily Telegraph", London July 27 2005
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George K
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Heh.
A guide to GKSR: Click

"Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... "
- Mik, 6/14/08


Nothing is as effective as homeopathy.

I'd rather listen to an hour of Abba than an hour of The Beatles.
- Klaus, 4/29/18
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