BOSTON -- A former priest at the center of the Catholic church sex abuse scandal has been killed in prison. A Massachusetts public safety spokesman says John Geoghan (pictured, left) was injured during an incident with another inmate and died shortly after being taken to a hospital. Geoghan was being held in protective custody to shield him from the general prison population, but he still had some contact with other inmates. Officials say the other inmate has been isolated and the incident is being investigated. Geoghan was serving time for child molestation. In civil lawsuits, more than 130 people have claimed that he sexually abused them as children during his three decades as a priest in the Boston area. "It's an eerie feeling because of the activities of John. J. Geoghan and the facts and circumstances surrounding his activities for 40 to 50 years," said Mitchell Garabedian, a lawyer for many of Geoghan's alleged victims. "It is unsettling for a lot of my clients and to myself." More than a year after the church settled abuse claims from 86 alleged victims, Garabedian also said some of his clients still planned to take Geoghan to court. "They would have liked to rather see Father Geoghan complete his sentence in jail, would have rather seen justice served, would have rather seen him involved as a defendant and further criminal trials," said Garabedian. One of his victims, Ralph DelVecchio, settled with the Boston archdiocese last year. He says Geoghan deserved prison, but didn't deserve to be killed there. A spokesman for the archdiocese says it offers prayers for Geoghan's soul, and his family. Upon learning the news of Geoghan's death, the Boston Archdiocese released a statement that said, "Upon learning of the news of the tragic death of John Geoghan, the Archdiocese of Boston offers prayers for the repose of John's soul and extends prayers and consolation to his beloved sister, Kathy, at the time of personal loss." www.click2houston.com
Gueess it's true that prisoners that have sex with kids get treated the worst. I didn't know the man so I really have no direct feelings on teh situation, but seems like he may have died fighting what he went to prison for in the first place. Ironic isn't it.
