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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