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American Morning

Priest Awaits Extradition Hearing

Aired May 03, 2002 - 07:02   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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Up front this morning, a 71-year-old retired Catholic priest is under arrest today, charged with three counts of raping a child with force, while he was a priest in Boston during the 1980s. Father Paul Shanley finds himself at the center of the sexual abuse scandal, rocking the Archdiocese of Boston. He faces an extradition hearing in San Diego this morning.

With more on this unraveling scandal, here is Jason Carroll.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Police in San Diego found Father Paul Shanley at his apartment early Thursday, and took him into custody. He is charged with three counts of raping a child. A warrant for his arrest was issued in Middlesex County, Massachusetts.

The district attorney says the abuse happened between 1983 and 1990. According to a source close to the case, the alleged victim is Paul Busa. He is now 24. Shanley allegedly abused Busa when he was six, taking him and other young boys out of catechism class.

MARTHA COAKLEY, MIDDLESEX COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY: Priests would take them to one of three locations: to the bathroom, often across the street to the rectory or to the confessional, and that is where the sexual abuse would occur.

CARROLL: Shanley was scheduled to be deposed in a separate case on Thursday, a civil suit involving Greg Ford and his parents. Ford says Shanley sexually abused him when he was six years old. His mother sent a message to all those who accuse Shanley of abusing them.

PAULA FORD, ALLEGED VICTIM'S MOTHER: Sleep tonight. The man that molested you is behind bars, because of your courage to come forward.

CARROLL: Several alleged victims came forward after Ford's attorney forced the Archdiocese of Boston to release 1,600 pages of documents relating to Shanley's past. The papers include allegations Shanley advocated sex between men and boys, some showing the archdiocese was warned about allegations of abuse and still moved Shanley from parish to parish.

The documents were so alarming many have called for Boston's cardinal, Bernard Law, to resign.

ERIC MACLEISH, ALLEGED VICTIMS' ATTORNEY: This crisis in the view of everyone that I have talked to is about leadership. We will never rid ourselves of child molesters in any setting like Paul Shanley, but we must rid ourselves of those who harbor and protect them.

CARROLL: Shanley has not publicly answered any of the allegations. His lawyer has not returned CNN's repeated phone calls since the arrest.

Following his arrest, the archdiocese released a statement saying, "Our hope is that the arrest of retired priest, Paul Shanley, on charges of the sexual abuse of a child will bring some level of relief and contribute to the healing of those who have been sexually abused."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CARROLL: And the extradition hearing, again, is scheduled for today at 11:30. The district attorney says that there is the possibility that more victims could end up coming forward with regards to this case -- Paula.

ZAHN: Jason Carroll, thanks so much.

And the big question at this hour, I guess, Jason, is: When is Mr. Shanley expected to return to Boston?

CARROLL: Paula, I think it really depends upon whether or not he decides to waive extradition. If he decides to fight it, then it could be several weeks before he ends up coming back. If he waives extradition, then he could be back within a matter of days.

ZAHN: All right. Jason Carroll, thanks so much.

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