Sunday, July 8, 2012

William Lynch Acquitted For Beating the Priest Who Molested Him 37 Years Ago



In 1975 William Lynch’s life changed forever, while on a camping trip with the Church. William Lynch alleged that Priest Jerold Lindner molested him when was seven years old, while he was in a tent. On May 10, 2010 William Lynch drove from his San Francisco home to the Sacred Heart Jesuit Center in Los Gatos, where Jerold Lindner lived. William Lynch comforted Jerold Lindner about the molestation and William Lynch beat up Jerold Lindner. William Lynch testified that he went there to get Jerold Lindner to sign a written confession, of the alleged molestation. William Lynch said the priest “leered” at him "with the same look in his eyes" the priest had during the alleged molestation. "I felt at that point he was a threat to me," Lynch said, during his emotional testimony. Lynch said that on "one level" he knew that the smaller, much older priest wasn't a physical threat to him. But he said another part of him reverted to when the priest allegedly assaulted him, and fear took over. "As a rational adult, I'm not afraid," Lynch said. "But part of me is stuck where I was as a child." William Lynch said after he punched Lindner twice, the retired priest grabbed him by the throat just like he grabbed 7-year-old Lynch during the alleged molestation in 1975. June 20, 2012 Jerold Lindner was on the witness stand repeatedly denied molesting William Lynch. On June 21, 2012 he invoked his Fifth Amendment right, against self-incrimination and refused to testify any further. Santa Clara County DA’s office was charging William Lynch with felony assault. If convicted William Lynch would have spent four years in jail. The jury heard all the evidence they acquitted William Lynch on Thursday July 5, 2012, with a jury split 8 to 4. They convicted William Lynch of misdemeanor assault, this means no jail time. Pat Harris a defense attorney wants the Santa Clara County DA’s office, to prosecute Jerold Lindner for perjury. The DA’s office should prosecute Jerold Lindner for perjury. Jerold Lindner needs to be held accountable. There has been hundreds or probably thousands of priests got away with this kind of abuse throughout the years. The Catholic Church would pay off the victims and the priest would go on living their lives. This has to stop the priest need to be held accountable with jail time. Did William Lynch have the right to comfort his attacker? Yes. Was he right in punching him? No. I know I am the type of person who would have probably done the same thing. Until you have been in a situation of molestation, you never know how you would react. When you come face to face with someone who has violated you never know what you would do.

LM





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