tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876661997317409023.post8950505736503299272..comments2023-10-22T09:32:13.417-04:00Comments on Big Trial | Philadelphia Trial Blog: Archdiocese Of Philadelphia Settles With Billy DoeAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04116104602505815614noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876661997317409023.post-48699273151009830862015-10-17T09:02:18.524-04:002015-10-17T09:02:18.524-04:00I was arguing the facts of the case. Dennis was us...I was arguing the facts of the case. Dennis was using a case he knew absolutely nothing about as a soapbox to promote his cult of victimology, where every victim is telling the gospel truth, no matter what the facts. Jim Robertson is another loyal cult member. bigtrial.nethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12188557653424544411noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876661997317409023.post-62390892518680445012015-10-17T07:53:56.931-04:002015-10-17T07:53:56.931-04:00The ravings of a lunatic.The ravings of a lunatic.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876661997317409023.post-91187808205907187752015-08-21T21:31:07.946-04:002015-08-21T21:31:07.946-04:00Prosecutors that get defendants to plead guilty to...Prosecutors that get defendants to plead guilty to a crime they did not commit, are selling the soul of our country as well as their own. Who will be left to stand up for America when our own government won't stand up for us. Doing the right thing starts at home, in schools in the workplace and in the courtroom. The government should be a good example for the people, not a vicious, winner takes all at any price government. The media should be taking note of this behavior, instead of taking directions from the prosecutors.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876661997317409023.post-73977109850735088012015-08-21T20:17:47.012-04:002015-08-21T20:17:47.012-04:00SarahTX2 use caution when patting the back of jour...SarahTX2 use caution when patting the back of journalist Ralph Cipriano on the back. I am not saying Ralph the human being is a bad guy, If there was ever two people who butted heads in this case it was him and me, and I have to say away from this blog I was treated with respect and fairness. However, when it came to Ralph the journalist things changed. When he put that hat on he seems to catch the disease tunnel vision syndrome a closed minded, one way of looking at things especially when it came to any case involving clergy sexual abuse. I have to give him credit though even with that dreaded disease he was able to gain a following like the piped piper. The guy with his flute and his old school catholics following right behind him. I don't think I have enough years on this earth to begin counting how many times he attacked Billy Doe. Sure, Billy may have been a drug addict and or drug dealer and may not have lived his life as we would have liked. But in all the time I have been reading this blog not once has he done a story from a victims side. He has led his little mice to believe the actions by Billy were wrong and although they were wrong if he investigated side effects of sexual abuse would have learned his (Billy) behavior is normal. Drug use, risky behavior, depression, suicide and in the worst cases abuse victims becoming abusers themselves. He took that tunnel vision path as many others have done that Billy is a liar or only doing it for the money. I am very interested on reading what he writes during the upcoming re-trial of Fr. Brennan. I know I have not closed a cell door on Brennan but has my friend closed one on a potential victim ?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01901399609514107499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876661997317409023.post-6329547246953481832015-08-21T16:56:09.445-04:002015-08-21T16:56:09.445-04:00What the AD should have done years ago, proactivel...What the AD should have done years ago, proactively if they saw financial ruin on the way, was to make good regional schools, offer sports, extra curricular activities, have accredited teachers. Closing parishes the they way they did has lead to charter schools filing a need and picking up the children that would have stayed in Catholic schools. Offering parents more would have been a smarter move. Chaput is playing mop up, where was the AD leadership at that point, it was bad management , as the amount of children declined from the high of the 50's and 60's a real plan needed to be implemented. Catholic students and parents deserve more, not less. With the decline of children in Catholic schools I do not foresee any strong ties to the church, without a primary education in Catholicism, its only a matter of time before there are many more closings. There are plenty of expensive Catholic schools in the city and suburbs that parents are throwing money at, so the need is apparent. Its not to late to put a plan into action.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876661997317409023.post-23486548847276084842015-08-21T15:47:31.845-04:002015-08-21T15:47:31.845-04:00There is no justice, if you are indicted by the fe...There is no justice, if you are indicted by the federal prosecutors office or the District Attorneys office, you are guilty, the media runs with the accusations ruining a defendants chance for a fair trial. Accusations of prior wrongs committed by others i.e priest scandal, public corruptions cases, help to produce a conviction for the prosecutors . The prosecutors are the fair haired children of the judges, the jury sides with the prosecution , because a prosecutor or an FBI agent would never lie , or distort the facts or hide evidence that could help clear a defendant. Grand juries should be abolished, or allow the defendants attorney to sit in on all proceedings. Prosecutors are in the job to find fault ,not to help a defendant be found innocent, what ever they need to do to incriminate the victim they will do . I know first hand the multitude of lies that are told to produce an indictment, after that is easy, lie to the jury, have the media spread the lies, have the defendant plead guilty to something. They win. <br />I cant image a more heinous profession than a prosecutor, one that hides behind the name of the federal government , inventing crimes and imprisoning the innocent , all to further their careers. I believe I will meet my maker one day and have to answer for my sins, obviously prosecutors must think they are exempt, the way they are here in this lifetime, thanks to the judicial system. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876661997317409023.post-33088070735704899642015-08-21T14:39:43.560-04:002015-08-21T14:39:43.560-04:00I kind of doubt it as the archdiocese hasn't p...I kind of doubt it as the archdiocese hasn't paid for Father Andy's defense. They're still paying for Msgr. Lynn's.bigtrial.nethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12188557653424544411noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876661997317409023.post-65174494739694964402015-08-21T12:15:10.836-04:002015-08-21T12:15:10.836-04:00Ralph- Do you think the outcome of this case will ...Ralph- Do you think the outcome of this case will have any effect on the civil trial against Father Andrew McCormick?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876661997317409023.post-74426154201195265702015-08-21T11:20:53.658-04:002015-08-21T11:20:53.658-04:00The Inquirer version of the story:
http://www.phi...The Inquirer version of the story:<br /><br />http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20150820_Phila__Archdiocese_settles_sexual-abuse_civil_suit.htmlbigtrial.nethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12188557653424544411noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876661997317409023.post-69250934191299638352015-08-21T09:42:38.046-04:002015-08-21T09:42:38.046-04:00Since 2011, Chaput has done a great job managing t...Since 2011, Chaput has done a great job managing the AD in a businesslike way, closing and surplus church facilities, screening jobs and making changes needed in order to staunch the financial losses from decades of mismanagement. One thing I have wondered is why hasn't Pope Francis named him Cardinal given all that he has done to right the ship?<br /><br />The Philly abuse case may well be the reason. Since Pope Francis is coming to town a month from now, orders may have come from Rome to dispose of the two pending lawsuits - one from Billy Doe and the other from another man allegedly abused by a priest who survived two mistrials and the DA has declined to prosecute this case. one has been disposed of and the other is still pending. I am presuming the AD has liability insurance and that its insurer is the one in charge of handling the two lawsuits. Sounds like negotiations have been ongoing with Billy Doe's attorneys for some time and with the impending civil trial in November drawing closer, they apparently cut the demand from millions to thousands of dollars in order to facilitate a settlement which triggered interest in both the AD and its insurer in settling the case as insurer defending the AD would always be the point person to determine whether it was worth it to proceed on to trial or to settle. <br /><br />Another possibility is the AD is defending itself and paying for its own defense by high powered law firm ready for bear and eager to kill Billy Doe on the witness stand until Rome asked Chaput to bury the case before the Pope comes. Talks take place and demand drops form millions to thousands of dollars as Billy Doe's law firm is getting tired of representing him and does not want him to make a fool out of himself at the civil trial. So, Chaput will go to one of Philly's finest benefactors and get them to write a check to pay off Billy Doe. Most likely sum $750K with 1/3 plus expenses to the law firm defending Billy Doe, thus leaving 500K which will be reduced by federal taxes, including the Alternate Minimum Tax, thus leaving him very little to live on. Because check came from private source, nothing needs to be told to the flock as to why Chaput "caved" in but one day in the future, the story will be told in order to prevent migration of the faithful from the church and decline in donations to the church.<br /><br />Either of those scenarios is possible. Was it smart for Chaput to settle or go to war against Billy Doe in civil court? Or were they thinking that since Sarmina was now in civil court, they did not want her to be assigned the case? In the end, Billy Doe does not have much of a future and Chaput will get his red hat from the Pope.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876661997317409023.post-15947481359495822912015-08-20T23:16:33.860-04:002015-08-20T23:16:33.860-04:00Honestly, I think the defense counsel in all the c...Honestly, I think the defense counsel in all the cases were pretty lame. This result isn't even close to surprising compared to the defense counsel that somehow allowed Avery to take the stand to recant his guilty plea. I never had the feeling that the defense counsel was especially aggressive, any of them. Some of them didn't even take depositions or issue subpoenas when any other defense counsel most likely would have.<br /><br />I hope you'll post your letter here, or some part of it, because there were two stories here. One story about the progress of these cases, and another story about the Archdiocese's handling or not handling of all these matters, I guess you would call that the back story. There could be a back story here more illuminating than even the Boston Globe Spotlight thing. Or not. I just hate the fact that people in Philadelphia who committed no crimes against children got lambasted for acting as judges and juries and came to their own conclusions what with all the evidence that a bunch of crimes against children definitely did take place in their midst. What a hard job. To be in the spotlight in that way.<br /><br />Thanks for writing to Chaput and the Pope. Whatever you write, I hope it reaches your addressee. Letters are way more powerful than comments on a blog and I sure do commend you.SarahTX2https://www.blogger.com/profile/13127925134697324637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876661997317409023.post-26368381763363143712015-08-20T21:47:50.179-04:002015-08-20T21:47:50.179-04:00@sarahTX2 - hi there. I'm one of Ralph's ...@sarahTX2 - hi there. I'm one of Ralph's supporters and am going to write to both Chaput and to the Pope about the way that this was handled. As far as I know, they had the 'goods' on Doe and an excellent chance to trip him up in civil court. They also have a fine (and probably expensive) legal team. Looks like - for whatever reason - they wimped out.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876661997317409023.post-54850843644195617172015-08-20T20:17:06.341-04:002015-08-20T20:17:06.341-04:00I do remember reading about that. And I remember ...I do remember reading about that. And I remember it was heroic. That's why I couldn't understand letting them off the hook throughout this series of cases and going after people who didn't commit any crimes against children but instead had to perform their jobs as judges, jurors, prosecutors, investigators, etc. the best they could, all while knowing what everyone else knows that dozens of children were sexually abused in this Archdiocese. I do acknowledge and commend you for the tremendous work you did back then. SarahTX2https://www.blogger.com/profile/13127925134697324637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876661997317409023.post-76882654399504837552015-08-20T20:01:41.480-04:002015-08-20T20:01:41.480-04:00SarahTX2, nobody in this town was on the archdioce...SarahTX2, nobody in this town was on the archdiocese before I was. It was back in 92 and 93 and I believe the whole saga is online still.bigtrial.nethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12188557653424544411noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876661997317409023.post-68955956920331648412015-08-20T17:33:35.171-04:002015-08-20T17:33:35.171-04:00Wow, I actually read this whole thing and here we ...Wow, I actually read this whole thing and here we have another commenter talking about people meeting their maker and failing to include the people who committed these crimes and covered them up. Even if you don't think this particular set of crimes happened, do you think that a whole bunch of other crimes against children did occur and that the criminals who committed them and covered them up will also be meeting their maker?SarahTX2https://www.blogger.com/profile/13127925134697324637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876661997317409023.post-65158173224275301072015-08-20T17:24:02.377-04:002015-08-20T17:24:02.377-04:00"What people will do for money and glory.&quo..."What people will do for money and glory." Kind of sounds like the Archdiocese although you don't mention any Archdiocese officials in your list of people who will answer to Him. SarahTX2https://www.blogger.com/profile/13127925134697324637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876661997317409023.post-83803978651510831422015-08-20T17:05:19.500-04:002015-08-20T17:05:19.500-04:00Good news. Maybe we'll hear even better news ...Good news. Maybe we'll hear even better news that Ralph just might go off on a tear against the Archdiocese which was the problem from the get-go. You're a little late, Ralph, but better late than never. Just think, maybe you can get all your supporters here to march up to the Archbishop's door and bang on it and demand to know what happened. Oops, forgot, your supporters would never have the guts to do that. They're only willing to go after judges, juries, D.A.s, families of victims, and anyone else who had no role in committing these crimes and covering them up. Do them a favor, Ralph. Show them what real guts can do. Go after the Archbishop. Let's see if your supporters drop you like a lead balloon if you actually go after the source. Or you could keep stoking these whiners because they did make you pretty popular after all. SarahTX2https://www.blogger.com/profile/13127925134697324637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876661997317409023.post-53299060175247302372015-08-20T16:14:06.925-04:002015-08-20T16:14:06.925-04:00Fired employees are usually thrown under the bus. ...Fired employees are usually thrown under the bus. This happens more often than necessary. No boss is your friend. Chaput has no friends in the AD. He is very weak and easily bullied into submission. Most likely, he was ordered by Rome to make the problem go away and he paid a settlement with AD funds from an unknown source (not Rome!) as the AD struggles with financial issues each day. A look at the AD's future 2015 990 form will reveal nothing about the settlements.<br /><br />I hope that the two surviving priests, Avery and Lynn will be granted parole as they have served most of their sentence (Lynn's prison time can easily be credited to house arrest if they are willing to do so). No objection from the DA and parole easily granted by the parole board for one year before they will be free to resume their lives. Billy Doe's settlement was a result of secret negotiations for months until the Doe team became reasonable to facilitate the settlement. Source of funds is up to the imagination as Rome would not pay for this. Many people donated 45M to the WMOF event that preceded the papal visit.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876661997317409023.post-75076632301391777412015-08-20T13:55:26.645-04:002015-08-20T13:55:26.645-04:00@anonymous - sorry, but but this is unfortunately ...@anonymous - sorry, but but this is unfortunately not likely to happen. I wish it would, but it just won't. From Rufus on down, the criminal justice system in Philadelphia is flawed and will only be corrected whenever (if ever) a thorough apolitical investigation is launched. As Kate Smith might say 'fat chance'.<br /><br />We were hoping that Doe's testimony at the upcoming civil trial would be so incredible that his claim would have been summarily dismissed which undoubtedly would have helped Lynn, Avery, Engelhardt and Shero in their own quests for justice. <br /><br />However, Chaput's sudden, inexplicable and (in my mind) unconscionable decision to virtually surrender and summarily settle this case - without even firing a shot no less - guillotined this possibility forever.<br /><br />This regrettable decision also tells men considering a vocation that future AD priests cannot expect any financial help from the AD as they will be expected to fund their own legal defenses against all molestation complaints, bogus or not.<br /><br />And we were always led to believe that the bishop was a father figure to his priests.....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876661997317409023.post-64799079667447406352015-08-20T11:40:38.297-04:002015-08-20T11:40:38.297-04:00Both judges refused to approve defense motions to ...Both judges refused to approve defense motions to strike down Billy Doe's unreliable testimony and the lineup of many past abuse victims who recounted their tales of abuse even such which occurred BEFORE Lynn was appointed to the post. Judge Sarmina refused to dismiss one charge against Lynn numerous times. Both judges helped pollute the collective jury decision making process to ensure that a guilty verdict was agreed on.<br /><br />Our system of justice is for the fair application of justice in a trial in which the judge acts as an impartial arbitrator during trial deliberations by both the defense and the prosecution instead of a favoritism toward the prosecution over the defense and the refusal to approve defense motions to strike down testimony irrelevant to the case and the charges levied against the defendants.<br /><br />No other judge other than Sarmina and Ceisler would have done what Sarmina and Ceisler did during the trial. Our system of justice is designed to be fair and impartial to all parties involved in the proceedings, not run trials like kangaroo courts as is done in third world countries.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876661997317409023.post-12242482928072224482015-08-20T11:28:11.331-04:002015-08-20T11:28:11.331-04:00Either a judge or jury decided that Billy Doe was ...Either a judge or jury decided that Billy Doe was telling the truth. That's our system of justice.jim robertsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11021237370520134041noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876661997317409023.post-76991371908947770652015-08-20T10:08:20.328-04:002015-08-20T10:08:20.328-04:00Billy Doe asked to be deposed, asked to be a witne...Billy Doe asked to be deposed, asked to be a witness and told all those fantastic stories that changed day to day. He was lucky to have Judge Sarmina and Ceisler who put three priests and a teacher in jail for him. Nobody believes in the changeable stories he told as he continued to perjure himself on the stand protected by those two judges. Settlements are always paid BEFORE the civil trial starts - what the victim asks and what they will get will be much less than what they had hoped to get. Billy Doe was ruthlessly slammed at depositions and the same would have happened to him at the civil trial who would be held under ANOTHER judge, not Sarmina and Ceisler.<br /><br />To tell you the truth, Billy Doe hurt the cases of many victims who were unable to bring criminal charges because the SOL expired. He was only in this for himself and the twelve pieces of silver he took without a care for the victims of such abuse speaks volumes.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876661997317409023.post-18199789716051153262015-08-20T09:56:26.244-04:002015-08-20T09:56:26.244-04:00Billy Doe collected not millions, but pennies on t...Billy Doe collected not millions, but pennies on the dollar. Why would you pay a drug addled addict millions to live the good life based on a series of changeable lies told on the witness stand that varied day by day he told them? Why would you cave in to a settlement without getting something back in return which would be the immediate release of two priests and a teacher who were victims of his lies on the witness stand/ More will happen in coming weeks AFTER the Pope leaves Philadelphia.<br /><br />No such charity and no one cares for Billy Doe. No one of us would want to live the usel3ess life he now lives, millions or nothing. <br /><br />Just hard cold facts, my friend. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876661997317409023.post-8947519188038341152015-08-20T09:45:58.514-04:002015-08-20T09:45:58.514-04:00It will happen as no one will front up settlement ...It will happen as no one will front up settlement money for a hole in a napkin. No one likes to pay and get nothing in exchange. If it is found that the Archdiocese used its own money to pay off Billy Doe against the advice of its attorneys who wanted to fight the case in civil court and kill Billy Doe on the witness stand like they did at the deposition, I will stop donating money to my church and thousands of other Catholics will feel deeper revulsion against the church for paying off Billy Doe because he told fantastic stories on the witness stand that changed each time he told them. Certainly, Chaput knows this well and how it would damage the church's relationship with its flock once they realize how impotent Chaput was.<br /><br />That is why the Archdiocese carries liability insurance and that is why they went to their insurer to handle Billy Doe's case. And it was the insurance company who decided it was far much cheaper to pay off Billy Doe than to litigate the case in civil court. Most likely, insurance company took a smell of the judicial system and the DA and found how corrupt it was when it handled the church abuse cases and this read convinced them that a settlement was better than going to trial, pending the receptiveness of Billy Doe's attorneys who were getting tired of defending him. Even the DA and his minions knew he was a lying stack of shit and laughed at that.<br /><br />Take a look at Lynn's pending appeal, the settlement sunk any chances of him getting his case heard in a new trial or even a release ordered by Commonwealth Court if the DA can simply run to his good friend who is chief justice of the Pennsylvania State Supreme Court to order him put back in jail. Henceforth, before paying any money to Billy Doe, the Archdiocese would want something in return and that is the release of two priests and a teacher still in jail because of Billy Doe's false trumped allegations. That is what would perk the DA's interest in cleaning up a mess of his own creation.<br /><br />Any amount of money paid to Billy Doe will be totally worthless in a few years when he wastes much of it on needless junk, including junk injected into his veins. Billy Doe has no future of any kind, no friends he can rely on and will be left to fend for himself once his parents pass on. No one will want to be in the position Billy Doe is in right now whether enriched by the settlement or not enriched at all.<br /><br />Nothing to laugh at and nothing to wring hands on and gnashing of teeth among the faithful. Cold hard facts make the case, my friend.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876661997317409023.post-53857507679008762042015-08-20T06:16:03.214-04:002015-08-20T06:16:03.214-04:00Wow...no surprise here, bash, attack degrade the v...Wow...no surprise here, bash, attack degrade the victim. Scare others from wanting to come forward. It doesn't matter that one priest was accused or convicted of abusing a different victim, or that a priest and teacher could have molested a child or that a Monsignor who should have protected children instead of an institution, either plead guilty or were convicted, nor does it matter that the Archdiocese of Philly just paid a settlement to ensure the case doesn't go to trial where the whole truth of the matter would certainly be exposed.<br /><br />No...forget all that, this man who was so badly abused as a young boy, like countless other victims has been struggling all his life so let's pick him apart. Shame on all this ignorance and down right deception from the writer and some who have posted here. It sounds very much like sour grapes but worse than that...the real intent here is most likely to ensure that others who may have been harmed never step forward. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com