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CNN Live Today

Accused Rapist Priest Seeks Bail Reduction

Aired May 09, 2002 - 10:08   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Also in court and under the microscope, retired Roman Catholic priest Paul Shanley. The former Boston area priest is charged with repeatedly raping a boy. But coming up next hour, he is going to be seeking a reduction in his $750,000 bail.

CNN's Jason Carroll joins us live once again from Boston. He has been covering it from the very beginning.

Let's go to him now for the latest this morning -- hello, Jason.

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And good morning to you, Leon. That bail hearing is scheduled to take place at about 11:00 a.m. Shanley's attorney says that his client is not a flight risk. He says he has roots in the community. He also says that he has no criminal record, and therefore bail should not be set so high.

Now, I know you were talking about being under the microscope. Well, yesterday Boston's Cardinal Bernard Law was under the microscope. He was deposed in a civil case involving defrocked priest, John Geoghan.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CARROLL (voice-over): Boston's embattled Cardinal Bernard Law left Suffolk Superior Court after being questioned for the first time under oath about what he knew about defrocked priest John Geoghan, and when he knew it. Mitchell Garabedian, the attorney representing 86 plaintiffs in a civil suit filed against the archdiocese, said Law suffered from a case of selective amnesia during his deposition.

MITCHELL GARABEDIAN, ATTORNEY: He's not going to admit anything that's going to hurt him, even if it's the truth.

CARROLL: Garabedian showed Law a copy of a letter sent to him in 1984 by a woman who claimed her nephews were molested by Geoghan. Law had initialed the letter and wrote a note to his bishop saying "urgent, please follow through." Law could not recall receiving the letter, but he later admitted when he knew about Geoghan's troubled past.

Question, as of September of 1984, were you aware that Father Geoghan had a history of homosexual involvement with young boys? Answer, "I was aware that there was involvement because of the, of having removed him out of one parish and putting him between assignments before sending him back to another."

Geoghan was moved to several parishes over the years, even though there were allegations he was sexually abusing children. Law defended his actions, saying Geoghan received psychological treatment.

Answer, "I was relying upon those assisting me to handle this adequately. And I was relying on their discretion in terms of the medical expertise. Question, "Did you have any system in place to make sure that the right medical experts were involved?" Answer, "No."

Geoghan was convicted earlier this year of molesting a young boy, but he's accused of abusing scores of children. One of his alleged victims was allowed to attend the deposition. Mark Keane said he felt Law was dishonest under questioning.

MARK KEANE: I was a little intimidated at first. He came off very soft-spoken. He is a very good talker. Not to compare him with Father Geoghan, but I experienced soft-spoken, good talkers before. And look where it got me.

CARROLL: Why was Law giving such a deposition? A judge ordered it, after the archdiocese backed out of a multimillion dollar settlement with the same 86 plaintiffs.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CARROLL: And Cardinal Law is scheduled to be deposed again tomorrow, but that deposition will not take place at Suffolk Superior Court. Instead it will take place at the Archdiocese of Boston -- Leon.

HARRIS: Very interesting. Jason Carroll reporting live for us from Boston -- thank you very much, Jason.

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