Louisville priest found guilty of sexually abusing child at Meade County camp

KENTUCKY
WDRB

Updated: Nov 29, 2016

By Katrina Helmer

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — A Louisville priest accused of abusing a boy at camp was found guilty Tuesday of sexually abusing a child in the 1970s.

The jury came back around 5 p.m. Tuesday after deliberating for about two hours.

The victim said in court this week that Fr. Hemmerle inappropriately touched him when he was at a camp in Meade County and that instead of treating his poison ivy like the priest promised, Fr. Hemmerle abused him alone in the priest’s cabin.

Fr. Hemmerle denied it ever happened, and all the defense’s witnesses say it never could have happened.

The defense brought seven witnesses to the stand Tuesday, including a priest who worked with Fr. Hemmerle at Camp Tall Trees along with five former campers and counselors and Fr. Hemmerle himself.

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