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  Ex-S.F. Priest Hit with More Charges
2 Additional Counts of Child Molestation

San Francisco Chronicle
March 29, 2003

A San Francisco grand jury has lodged two additional child molestation charges against a prominent defrocked priest already jailed on counts filed last year, authorities said.

Former Monsignor Patrick O'Shea, 70, is being held on $2.2 million bail after surrendering to charges filed in the fall.

O'Shea's case was revived last year after a court decision that tossed out earlier charges that he had molested nine former altar boys when he was a priest at Roman Catholic churches in the San Francisco Archdiocese. The court ruling meant prosecutors could not pursue charges related to those victims.

The latest charges involve two men who say they were molested in the 1970s at Lake Berryessa, when they were 11 to 13. The two additional counts add $500,000 to O'Shea's bail.

They follow a 22-count indictment stemming from accusations of a former altar boy, now his mid-40s, who had not come forward until last year.

That man said he had been molested by O'Shea starting in 1968, when he was 11 years old. The man testified that O'Shea had molested him when he was an altar boy at Mission Dolores Basilica and a student at the parochial school there.

Assistant District Attorney Linda Klee said O'Shea was indicted on the latest charges Thursday. He is expected to be arraigned Tuesday.

O'Shea's attorney, Jim Collins, said he had not seen the allegations.

"It's very curious that all these people are popping up out of the woodwork, now they are able to file lawsuits and seek money damages," said Collins, referring to recent legislation that gives people a one-year window to sue for alleged abuse that happened years ago.

 
 

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