Update: Accuser Gives Emotional Testimony

Fox Philly
April 5, 2012

http://www.myfoxphilly.com/dpp/news/local_news/update%3A-accuser-gives-emotional-testimony

An accuser in the Philadelphia priest-abuse trial took the stand today. The former Marine gave an emotional testimony that Rev. James Brennan made sexual advances on him when he was 14-years-old.

The victim, now 30-years-old, outlined the events that led up to the alleged sexual assault in 1996, and went into great detail about his struggles with drug abuse, mental illness and multiple suicide attempts that he says are partially a result of his sexual abuse from Brennan.

The man said Brennan was close to his family, and would come over to the home every weekend. He described him as a “drinking buddy” of his mother, and an uncle figure. He said, “When the collar came down, he was Jim. He was one of the guys.”

In the summer of 1996, the victim said that Brennan took him to his apartment in West Chester to watch movies and then golf the next day. He testified that at the apartment, Brennan showed him pornography on his laptop, tried to masturbate with the victim, and got into bed with him.

“I got into the bed because I was scared he was going to kill me or something,” the accuser said. “I was a little boy. I didn’t know what to do.”

The man told the court that both him and Brennan got into bed clothed. He testified that Brennan wrapped his arms around him, and kept pulling him closer until he could feel Brennan’s genitals in between his buttocks. He said, “I just kept asking God to help me fall asleep.”

The man said he does not remember anything that happened after that, but made the statement to the court that he was feeling sore the next day.

Brennan’s attorneys questioned the accuser on his issues with law enforcement, including drugs, identity theft, and filing a false police report. The victim testified saying that he did plead guilty to these actions, and said they were partially a result of the trauma he had endured because of Brennan. He said, “I would get high and drink to take the pain away.”

During cross-examination on behalf of Brennan, the accuser became very emotional and said he felt the defense was being “very combative”. The court session was excused early because the of the victim’s increasing frustration. The cross-examination will continue tomorrow morning.

This is the first victim to testify in the trial whose claim falls within the statute of limitations. Brennan is being charged with the attempted rape of this man, and for endangering the welfare of a child.

Brennan is on trial with Monsignor William Lynn, the first church official in the U.S. to be charged with conspiracy of endangering the welfare of children for allegedly burying allegations of molestation by members in the priesthood, and refusing to remove accused priests from the ministry.