Victims, Advocates, Set to Protest Release of Convicted Sex Offender Paul Shanley

By Caitlin Fichtel
NBC Boston
July 28, 2017

http://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/Victims-Advocates-Set-to-Protest-Release-of-Convicted-Sex-Offender-Paul-Shanley-437131413.html

Victims and advocates of sexual assault are set to protest the release of a former priest who was convicted of the rape of a child.

Paul Shanley, 86, a former priest who counseled gay and troubled youths, was convicted of raping a boy at a Newton church in the 1980s and sentenced to 12 years in prison.

He is set to be released sometime Friday, despite protests from many, including dozens who have accused Shanley of sexual abuse.

Protesters plan to gather outside the Massachusetts Old Colony Correctional Facility in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, around 9 a.m. until the release of Shanley.

The protest will be led by members of Road to Recovery Inc., a charity that assists victims of sexual abuse and their families, victims and survivors of Shanley's abuse, as well as advocates, supporters, and concerned citizens.

Once Shanley is released, he will be monitored for 10 years by the Massachusetts Probation Department but will not be required to wear an ankle bracelet.

It is unclear when exactly Shanley will be released on Friday.