FLORIDA
GlobalPost
Thomson Reuters
January 14, 2013
* Church placed Father Neil Doherty on “leave” in 2002
* Victims’ lawyer says Doherty drugged his victims
* Doherty’s lawyer says plea deal was in his best interest (Adds comment from Doherty’s lawyer)
By Zachary Fagenson
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla,. Jan 14 (Reuters) – A South Florida priest accused of sexually assaulting young boys for decades pleaded no contest to a half dozen charges on Monday and could face up to 15 years in prison under a plea deal.
It is the first time criminal charges have been brought against Father Neil Doherty, 69, despite numerous civil cases that named him.
A civil case involving Doherty last year ended in a jury awarding $100 million to one victim, among the largest awards in the United States to compensate for abuses committed by a Roman Catholic priest.
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