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  Priest's Lawyer Questions Witness Memory

By Tina Peplinskie
Ottawa Sun
January 9, 2008

http://ottsun.canoe.ca/News/National/2008/01/09/4759736-sun.html

PEMBROKE — The man who claims he was sexually abused by Monsignor Bernard Prince was repeatedly challenged by the priest's defence attorney yesterday.

Prince's lawyer, Chris Kelly, spent four hours hammering away at the 44-year-old man's testimony. Kelly suggested the complainant asked for a transcript of previous testimony so he could remind himself of what he'd said in the past.

"The reason is the lack of confidence in your memory and you had to work to assemble these memories into a narrative," Kelly said. "It is not a product of your constant memory."

The witness, whose identity is protected by a publication ban, said he had to push the memories to the back of his mind as a matter of survival.

"The abuse is not a constant memory as I'm getting older," he told the court. "It was with me throughout my childhood, but as I get older it is more faded."

Later, the witness contradicted himself, saying as time goes by, the more information he remembers.

Earlier, he admitted his memory is not the best, but said he is able to recall traumatic events.

"I wish I could remember absolutely everything," he said.

Prince faces one count of indecent assault for incidents alleged to have occurred between 1976 and 1979 at his cottage in Wilno, at the complainant's home in Madawaska Valley and during a week-long visit to Prince's apartment in Ottawa.

The court learned that the alleged victim has filed a $1.5-million civil suit against Prince and the Catholic Diocese of Pembroke.

 
 

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