EX-PRIEST CHARGED IN MOLESTING.Byline: - Rachel Uranga A former Roman Catholic priest working in Newbury Park was arrested Thursday on 10 counts of molesting a teenage girl in 1978 at a parish in Orange County, authorities said. John Peter Lenihan, 57, was charged with 10 counts of molesting the girl in August 1978 at St. Norbert's Church in Orange, authorities said. He was free after posting $100,00 bail. Lenihan's attorney, Ronald Talmo, said he was ``disappointed'' at the arrest. ``It was a surprise.'' The criminal complaint alleges that Lenihan molested mo·lest tr.v. mo·lest·ed, mo·lest·ing, mo·lests 1. To disturb, interfere with, or annoy. 2. To subject to unwanted or improper sexual activity. two girls at the Orange County parish. But District Attorney Tony Rackauckas said allegations involving one of the girls cannot be prosecuted because the statue of limitations has expired. Attorney Catherine Freeberg said she represents one of the alleged victims, a woman who now lives in San Francisco San Francisco (săn frănsĭs`kō), city (1990 pop. 723,959), coextensive with San Francisco co., W Calif., on the tip of a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, which are connected by the strait known as the Golden . Freeberg said her client received $1.2 million last year to settle a lawsuit against the Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. and Orange dioceses; the suit claimed Lenihan had molested her for three years, impregnated im·preg·nate tr.v. im·preg·nat·ed, im·preg·nat·ing, im·preg·nates 1. To make pregnant; inseminate. 2. To fertilize (an ovum, for example). 3. her, then paid for her abortion. A 40-year-old Woodland Hills woman said Thursday she was the second girl named in the complaint. She said that in 1991, she received $25,000 to settle a lawsuit that claimed Lenihan had molested her from ages 13 to 18. After hearing of his arrest, ``I feel like a huge weight is lifted off my shoulders,'' she said. ``For now, without a doubt, he will not be able to harm another child.'' In the six-page criminal complaint, Rackauckas said Lenihan wrote a letter to Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II (Latin: Ioannes Paulus PP. II, Italian: Giovanni Paolo II, Polish: Jan Paweł II) born Karol Józef Wojtyła on March 28, 2002, in which he confessed to the relationships with the girls. ``I was totally celibate cel·i·bate n. 1. One who abstains from sexual intercourse, especially by reason of religious vows. 2. One who is unmarried. adj. 1. until 1978, when I became involved with a teenager, and that was followed by a sexual relationship with another teen shortly afterward af·ter·ward also af·ter·wards adv. At a later time; subsequently. Adv. 1. afterward - happening at a time subsequent to a reference time; "he apologized subsequently"; "he's going to the store but he'll be back here ,'' the complaint quotes the letter as saying. The former Orange County priest, who was removed from a Dana Point church in September 2001, has cost the Diocese of Orange $1.3 million in settlements stemming from sexual-abuse allegations. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: LENIHAN |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion