PHILADELPHIA (PA)
Big Trial
Ralph Cipriano
He was a slender, dark-eyed 24-year-old who sported close-cropped hair and a wispy goatee. He was also a methodical and more confident witness this time around as he grimly recounted the horror of being a 10-year-old altar boy who was callously passed from one child rapist to another.
The man dubbed “Billy Doe” in a 2011 grand jury report returned to Courtroom 304 today, after an absence of nine months, to testify against Father Charles Engelhardt and former teacher Bernard Shero in the second round of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia sex abuse case.
For nearly two hours, Billy told his story on the witness stand, and it seemed to have a profound effect on the jury. One man lowered his head and buried his face in one hand as Billy related the gory details of one rape, while other male jurors averted their eyes in obvious embarrassment. When Billy talked about his descent into drugs, another male juror sadly shook his head.
In short, it was a great day for the prosecution, but the big test is still to come. On Wednesday, Billy Doe will be cross-examined for the first time by defense lawyers for Engelhardt and Shero. It’s a battle that will probably decide the case.
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