for Bigtrial.net
Billy Doe, the truth-challenged former altar boy who's seeking to cash in on his improbable tale of serial sex abuse, was originally scheduled to go to trial against the Archdiocese of Philadelphia on Aug. 3rd.
The Pope is scheduled to be in Philadelphia a month later, from Sept. 25-27, for the World Meeting of Families.
What were the chances of the Pope and Billy, however briefly, sharing a media spotlight?
Apparently none. As of July 10, on the court docket there's a new trial date posted for Billy Doe v. the Archdiocese of Philadelphia et al -- Nov. 9th.Meanwhile, when Pope Francis visits Philadelphia, he's scheduled to visit the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility on State Road in Northeast Philly. But one of the inmates the Pope won't be meeting with is Msgr. William J. Lynn.
According to Lynn's lawyer, Thomas A. Bergstrom, the monsignor, the first Catholic administrator in the country to go to jail for failing to reign in predator priests, was moved last week from Curran-Fromhold. Lynn is now at SCI Waymart, a state prison located two and a half hours north of the city. Bergstrom said he doubts "the Pope will go to Waymart."
It's kind of amazing how two potential embarrassments for the archdiocese during the Pope's upcoming visit have just disappeared.
"I'd say that any suggestion that the archdiocese is controlling the movements of Msgr. Lynn is a ridiculous one," Gavin said.
Regarding Billy Doe's new trial date in November, Gavin said it was set at a July 7th conference with the presiding judge "based upon the availability of the lawyers, witnesses and the assigned judge."
When asked whether the archdiocese plans to settle the case, Gavin replied that he can't discuss pending litigation.
There's a voluntary confidentiality stipulation in the Billy Doe civil case agreed to by all the parties that prevents the lawyers from talking.
Billy Doe is the former altar boy who claims he was raped by two priests and a Catholic school teacher. His tales of abuse at two historic trials sent three alleged assailants to jail, as well as Msgr. Lynn for not adequately protecting Billy.
Lynn, the former secretary for clergy for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, was convicted three years ago by a jury on one count of endangering the welfare of a child.
On July 24, 2012, Common Pleas Court Judge M. Teresa Sarmina sentenced Lynn to three to six years in jail. Lynn had served 18 months of his sentence when on Dec. 26, 2013 a panel of three state Superior Court judges reversed the monsignor's conviction and ordered him "released forthwith." But Judge Sarmina instead imposed conditions on the defendant that amounted to house arrest, such as wearing an electronic ankle bracelet and reporting to a parole officer every week.
Lynn had spent 16 months under house arrest until April 27th, when the state Supreme Court reversed the reversal by the Superior Court. Three days later, Judge Sarmina granted a motion by the D.A.'s office to revoke bail and send Lynn back to jail to serve out the remainder of his sentence.
He's been in prison ever since.
While the monsignor's doing his time, his lawyers are seeking a hearing in state Superior Court before the same panel of judges that reversed Lynn's conviction. At the hearing, Bergstrom will argue for a new trial. The district attorney's office has until Aug. 5th to respond to Lynn's motion.
Most likely new trial granted to Lynn and under a new judge who will keep it only on the once count he was charged with. No 12 week trial with a line of victims giving testimony. Billy Doe will be eviscerated on the witness stand when he starts telling stories that will change by the day.
ReplyDeleteAdvice to Bergstrom is to get Binns on the legal team and the two of them along with Bergstrom's female accomplice will do a number on Billy Doe. If suburban style jury empanelled, good chance of an acquittal as they will say the DA has nothing to work with. Or DA Seth Williams will offer Lynn a plea bargain that includes dropping the sole charge and ending the need for a trial once he realizes he has a witness in Billy Doe whose credibility is way below the brown line.
I highly doubt Bergstrom will be very excited by your advice. First of all, you have no contact information for Bergstrom to reach you and squeeze all of the knowledge from your strong legal mind. Are you sure that Mr. "New Judge will keep it only on the once count", not the twice or thrice count?
DeleteZero case of a successful civil trial as it can be indefinitely postponed until the second trial is completed and results in an acquittal, thus short circuiting the need for a civil trial. Looks like Billy Doe did not do too well during the depositions as he has a propensity to tell stories that change day in and day out.
ReplyDeleteC'mon, Ralph you seemed shocked about the date change and the moving of Lynn. Your dealing with the Vatican they are crossing their T's and dotting their I's. Don't you think if they had any belief that Lynn is innocent they would have had the pope meet with Lynn for some special blessing or something. What a shot in the arm that would have been for those who believe Lynn did nothing wrong. But instead Lynn and the Lynn supporters should take it as a slap in the face.
ReplyDeleteI'm shocked they kept that Aug. 3 trial date for so long.
ReplyDeleteI hate to break it to you but since people in the DA's office know Billy know was lying all the defendants are innocent because Billy made the whole story up. That includes Lynn, Avery,
Engelhardt and Shero.
Hi Ralph. I don't think that the Vatican pulled any strings. I think it's up to the department of prisons to make these moves, although it's a bit odd that Monsignor Lynn stayed so long in the Curran / Fromhold facility and was not transferred to the interim stop - Camp Hill - for processing as he was initially as were Avery, Shero and Engelhardt.
DeleteCould it be that Seth (don't call me Rufus) Williams was behind this move for some obscure reason? Maybe he wanted to deny the the Pope the opportunity to speak with Monsignor Lynn.
Seth would like his Catholic potential voters to view him as the reincarnation of St. Thomas More - you know: fair, impartial, honest, above blemish and willing to have his head lopped off lest he give credence to any wrongdoings.
I hope that the Pope either has been or will be adequately briefed about Williams' dishonest tactics in the persecution of the church to strengthen his own political capital. Who knows, but the Pope may have a nice present for him - an exquisitely framed (pun intended) excommunication document.
If I were the Pope and Seth wanted to kiss my ring, I'd tell him to kiss my ass.
It all follows the same idea of the broken window theory of policing, when the Bishops had a report of an abuse by a priest , it should have been dealt with by relieving the perpetrator of his duties as a priest, not transfer him to another unsuspecting parish. This would have eliminated or weeded out the offenders that ultimately led to the ruination of parishes, closure of schools ,and the many innocents lives it destroyed.
DeleteWhen the first federal prosecutor overstepped his authority,hid evidence, distorted facts and brought false charges and imprisoned the innocent, it should have been a scandal, instead its commonplace for attorneys working for the federal judicial system to routinely invent crimes and concoct supposed schemes. Those attorneys should have been relieved of their duties.
When the first FBI agent lied as part of the prosecution team to convict a defendant or misused their authority and betrayed the trust placed in them by the American people, it should have been a dismissal for the agent, a review of FBI policy. Today its financial and personal suicide for an FBI agent to be a whistleblower.
When the media realized it printed an article that was one sided and contributed to the condemnation of an innocent person without a retraction or apology , it should have led to people protesting in the streets. Printing an article with inaccurate facts leads to the total take over of the minds and opinions of the public by the federal prosecutors .When reporters witness an FBI agent or federal prosecutor lie and not report it to the public, it too leads to the decay of society.
When the first police officer was found to be abusing their authority, or found to have acted with bias against minorities or the mentally ill, retraining or removal from the force would have eliminated the civil unrest that is gripping the nation. This has unfortunately led to the erosion of the publics trust in police officers.
President Obama visit to a prison, his long awaited speech on prison reform, much needed legislation changing mandatory sentencing is all an out come of decades of abuse of power. Changing minds and opinions is every ones duty, we all have a part to play in the rebuilding of our country.
I am reminded of the signs posted in affluent communities on drunk driving that say YOU CANT AFFORD IT, well as a country we cant afford to look the other way when abuse of power on any level takes place, its leading to the demise of our great nation.
Lynn or no Lynn the pope will still be able to see the first class accommodations afforded to his employees. You know those guys Lynn, Engelhardt, Shero, and self-admitted rapist Avery.
ReplyDeleteYou think I could get one of those excommunication documents with my name on it ?
.
@anonymous 10:45. If you're a Catholic, excommunication is no laughing matter. It cuts you off from all the graces available in the church and - unless you repent - facilitates your eternal damnation. As you may surmise, eternity is a very long time indeed. So, watch what you - (even jokingly) - ask for as you just might get it.
DeleteWhose joking ? Its not me and I am not laughing I am serious.
DeleteI have already written to bishops, archbishops and even sent a letter to Rome. That's how bad I want to clear my soul of Catholicism.
You know what I was told ? Once baptized as a catholic always a catholic . Sorry I don't accept that.
@anonymous 1:44PM - that's absolutely right, and you'll be thankful when 'your time' comes, provided you cooperate with the graces that God gives through His Sacraments. Have you perchance been sexually abused?
Delete...and that is how the Catholic cult counts how many catholics are in the world by counting those who want no part of their faith through baptismal certificates.
DeleteNo problem though. I have denounced the catholic faith, joined another faith and have been baptized into that faith through immersion and have been welcomed with open arms to learn as much as half of the congregation is made up of ex-catholics. #notacatholiccultmember
shame you didn't drown at your new baptism
Delete, it would have been one less lying thieving convict and drug addict off the public dole...
well at least you did not call me a child raping, child pornography watching, turn my head and look the other way priest. I would have taken offense then.
Deletebut you make me sound like an angel.
THANKS
how do I know you aren't a rapist, child pornographer, thieving, lying drug addicts like you who blame everyone but yourself for your drug addicted lives, you are nobody ....
Deleteoh that's right every priest and now it seems every teacher and administrator's in the schools seem to be taking advantage of the children...
give me a break, danny Gallagher's stories of abuse at the hands of those men are just that, stories......no facts, no physical evidence, no witnesses, etc etc to back them up, just the words of a worthless, scumbag human being, drug addict, drug dealer, thief......never a real victim.....unless it was at the hands of his own family.....
Ralph - How is the Gallagher family doing these days? Is James Sr. still working? Has his wife been able to get off the medication? James Jr. still working for Slade?
ReplyDeleteAnd to Daniel Gallagher - is he still living in Florida pretending to have an honest job? How many days has he been clean and sober? Any reports to the state on the safety of his stepson?
@anonymous 9:37. - This is not Ralph, but the last scuttlebutt I heard was that Billy Doe's wife had left him and that he had quit his job at some statue factory in Florida. It's anyone's guess what (or whom) Billy's been doing.
DeleteHave heard only rumors.
DeleteOh boy Ralph, you have people here who think you can look into a crystal ball and tell them what they want to hear.
DeleteCan you tell me if the Eagles are going to be contenders this year or better is Donald Trump going to be this countries next president ?
Think it was just a question asking if ralph had any update on the Gallagher cast of characters.
DeleteTo answer your questions, my opinion is that the Eagles will be 11-5 (lose in 2nd round of playoffs) and no Trump will never be president of the US.
Oh danny boy the drugs, the drugs are calling you......
Deleteonly a matter of time before danny Gallagher screws up......inevitable.....
that's my opinion......
I thought the same thing about McCormick or some other priest in the archdiocese abusing or doing something immoral. Its inevitable.
DeleteDid not have to wait long though. What's the name of that priest caught and being investigated with 12,000 images of pornography.
Who was right me or you ?
"I finally made my family proud of me."
ReplyDeleteLast payday is gone for Billy Doe once he gets killed in the civil trial.
ReplyDeleteBoth Judges Sarmina and Ceisler have to be removed from the bench. as questions can be raised about their conduct while handling the trial. Those two judges refused defense motions to dismiss the charges and did everything possible to grease the skids toward a guilty verdict by Philadelphia based juries.
ReplyDeleteBilly Doe put three priests and a teacher in jail by telling fabulous stories of abuse that changed by the day. Sarmina and Ceisler refused defense motions to strike from the record those stories uttered by Billy Doe.
A new judge picked to handle the case will be one well versed in the law and one who will give his utmost consideration and rule accordingly motions raised by the defense that merit serious consideration for a judge's attention. NO twelve week circus with many witnesses lined up to tell their stories.
Were that to happen, the trial would be over in 2 to 3 days with an acquittal once the judge moved to strike from the record Billy Doe's fabulous stories that change each time it is told, thus giving a jury no option but to acquit due to a lack of preponderance of evidence..