Ex Priest Pleads Guilty to Perjury, Ann Mcglynn, Quad City Times, May 13, 2009

Ex-priest Pleads Guilty to Perjury

By Ann Mcglynn
Quad-City Times
May 13, 2009

http://www.qctimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/article_ab92db82-3fe4-11de-ab3c-001cc4c002e0.html

Defrocked priest James Janssen, accused of molesting several children pleaded guilty today to hiding assets from his nephew, who he sexually abused as a child. Janssen, 85, of Davenport was to go on trial Monday in Scott County District Court on the three felony perjury charges to which he pleaded. He will be sentenced at 2:30 p.m. June 24.

A defrocked priest accused of molesting several children pleaded guilty Wednesday to hiding assets from his nephew, whom he sexually abused as a child.

James Janssen, 85, of Davenport was to go on trial Monday in Scott County District Court on the three felony perjury charges to which he pleaded. He will be sentenced at 2:30 p.m. June 24.

Mike McCarthy, Janssen’s attorney, said Janssen decided to take the plea because the state will recommend Janssen not be incarcerated and because of Janssen’s age and poor health. “A perjury conviction on his resume isn’t going to be any worse,” McCarthy said.

Mike Walton, Scott County attorney, offered the plea because it’s a guaranteed conviction, he said. Oftentimes, lower-level felonies such as perjury result in probation anyway.

Walton also noted Janssen, “who would be a pretty expensive inmate” because of health problems, spent time in jail related to a contempt finding in connection with the case.

A judge will ultimately determine what Janssen’s sentence will be. The charges each carry a possible penalty of five years in prison.

Craig Levien, attorney for James Wells, said they have collected about half of the $1.4 million civil judgment against Janssen and in favor of Wells. A jury awarded the money in May 2005.

“The charges were serious felony charges,” Levien said. “I am sure they had little choice but to admit his felonious conduct.”

According to court documents, Janssen lied in April 2006 when he testified under oath that he did not transfer assets to a family member in the 10 years preceding that date. He later admitted to transferring assets, including more than $700,000 in bonds to his sister, Dorothy.

In July 2007, Janssen lied on his application for a court-appointed attorney on an accusation of contempt of court, documents say. He did not disclose ownership of and income from an annuity or that he had access to money with his sister to pay his expenses.

And in October 2007, officials said, he falsely testified under oath that he did not know about $80,000 in savings bonds. He later produced a list of bonds and admitted they were given as gifts to friends and family.

Janssen was jailed last year for contempt of court for failing to produce his assets. He was removed from the priesthood in 2004 by Pope John Paul II. Believed to be the first-ever Davenport priest to be defrocked, Janssen was ordained in 1948.

Janssen was a defendant in several civil suits alleging sex abuse, including the one filed by his nephew. The others were dismissed after the victims reached settlements with the Davenport diocese.

Janssen was never charged criminally with sex abuse because the statute of limitations ran out.