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CNN Live Today

Deposition of Cardinal Law Continues in Boston

Aired May 13, 2002 - 13:37   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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Again today, the spiritual leader in Boston took an oath before God and then answered questions in a lawsuit arising from a former priest's alleged misdeeds. Day three of that deposition, Jason Carroll has been tracking it from the beginning. Jason, good afternoon.

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon to you, Bill. The afternoon session is under way, but we already have a sense of what happened during the morning session of Cardinal Law's deposition.

Two of the alleged victims in this civil suit were also present during the deposition. They said that Cardinal Law became somewhat angry during the course of the morning proceedings. Cardinal Law is being deposed in a civil suit involving defrocked priest John Geoghan. Geoghan was convicted of molesting a young boy earlier this year. The suit alleges that he molested some 86 others.

Cardinal Law said in his deposition last week he relied on the medical advice that was given to him, saying it was OK to have Geoghan around children. Geoghan was sent to psychiatric treatment after allegations of abuse had surfaced. Cardinal Law said that during the deposition, that he was asked about a letter that he had received from one of the psychiatric treatment centers saying that -- from doctors saying that it was all right for Geoghan to be put back into another parish. But that letter also had indicated that they could not guarantee that Geoghan would not abuse again.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PATRICK MCSORLEY, ALLEGED ABUSE VICTIM: You could see in his eyes he was getting a little bit temperamental because we recognize that there was a little possibility that Father Geoghan would be back out there molesting children again.

MARK KEANE, ALLEGED ABUSE VICTIM: He was completely out of his own element, very angry at times. And he would state his answers very firmly and I think, in the Cardinal's way, of losing his temper.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARROLL: Again, after receiving psychiatric treatment, Geoghan was convicted of molesting a young boy. The attorney for the plaintiffs in this case, Mitchell Garabedian, said that initially, this was supposed to be the very last day of deposition, but he says that he still has more questions to ask Cardinal Law, specifically questions regarding why the archdiocese of Boston backed out of a multi-million dollar settlement. Last week, Cardinal Law had indicated that the archdiocese backed out of the settlement because the archdiosis and finance council had overruled Cardinal Law's decision to pay that settlement. So, Mitchell Garabedian has more questions to ask about that. So this proceeding, which is supposed to end today, could actually extend into tomorrow and even the next day -- Bill.

HEMMER: Jason, thanks. Jason Carroll in Boston.

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