Mass. Jury Acquits Priest of Raping Boy

[Sequoia]

BROCKTON, Mass. Mar 23, 2005 — A 76-year-old priest was acquitted Wednesday of raping a boy in a church office in the late 1980s.

The Rev. John P. Lyons closed his eyes and bowed his head as the jury's verdict was read. "I'm delighted," he said. He could have gotten life in prison.

His accuser, a 26-year-old former parishioner at St. Rose of Lima Church in Rochester, testified that Lyons molested him from 1987 until 1989, starting when he was 8.

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http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=607602

[napi21]

1. None of us should comment until we have the facts the jury heard.

With all the publicity surrounding cases like this, I have to believe the jury in this case had a sound reason for their decision. We need that info before making a comment.

[Megahurtz]

2. Possibly true, but that basically means nothing.

There have been some pretty wonky jury decisions before, and it could be quite possible that this is just another one.

Maybe so, maybe not?:shrug:

[Freedom_from_Chains]

3. Really

And I am already so angry at the religious establishment over the fiasco in FL. that I am sure I have absolutely no objectivity to deal with this kind of shit.

[WI_DEM]

4. well I don't know all the facts which the jury heard so

what can I say. It is true that some people are falsly accused of something they didn't do...not all Catholic priests rape kids.

[VegasWolf]

6. True. Not every Catholic Priest rapes little boys. n/t

[Donailin]

5. Must not respond must not respond must not respond

biting my tongue being as how I just had to inform another person who believed false accusations about another well known accused..

[autorank]

7. Here's a fact: they wouldn't bury a gay bar owner but did bury Fahther G.

...with honors. This is extremely sick. Don't know the case in question but it's just a pebble in the sea of sickness.