MAINE
Portland Press Herald
BY ERIC RUSSELL STAFF WRITER
erussell@pressherald.com | @PPHEricRussell | 207-791-6344
A federal defamation trial involving an outspoken advocate for child sex abuse victims from Freeport who has accused the founder of an orphanage in Haiti of abusing boys opened this week in U.S. District Court in Portland.
Ten jurors – eight women and two men – were selected Monday to hear the case. Attorneys for Paul Kendrick, who is being sued for defamation, and plaintiff Michael Geilenfeld, will deliver opening statements on Tuesday, kicking off a trial that is expected to be both lengthy and emotionally charged.
Judge John Woodcock even cautioned both Kendrick, 65, and Geilenfeld, 63, on Monday about making any outbursts that might taint the jury in any way. The two tussled verbally at a pretrial hearing last month.
“Each of you will likely hear things about yourself that you profoundly disagree with and that strike you right to the core,” Woodcock told the two men. “I do not want to admonish you in front of the jury. It will not help your case if I do that.”
Geilenfeld filed his lawsuit in February 2013, alleging that Kendrick wrote repeatedly in emails and on a blog that Geilenfeld sexually abused boys at his orphanage in Haiti. Geilenfeld has denied the charges.
Kendrick has said he felt compelled to share what he heard from victims and their family members.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.