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  Priests Fight Release of Psych Records

By Eric Convey
Boston Herald [Boston MA]
November 21, 2003

Four priests whose psychiatric records are being sought as part of a civil suit against the Archdiocese of Boston asked a court this week to block the release of the documents.

Among them is the Rev. Jon C. Martin, who supervised serial North Shore child molester Christopher "Ducky" Reardon.

The priests argue that because they are not defendants in the suit, any personal information should be shielded from the public. Lawyers for Gregory Ford sought the records to establish a pattern of lax oversight by the archdiocese.

A decision is not expected until next month.

In a separate development yesterday, prosecution and defense lawyers in the criminal case against alleged pedophile priest Paul R. Shanley scheduled a hearing for next month to resolve disputes over sharing records.

Frank Mondano, Shanley's criminal defense lawyer, told a Middlesex Superior Court judge he expects to learn over the next month whether there are records he will need to fight for in court.

"What I'll know is where we agree and disagree," Mondano said afterward.

Mondano said he may ask the court for subpoena power to obtain certain records from unnamed participants in the case. He declined to elaborate outside the courtroom.

According to previous court testimony, a key issue will be the psychiatric records of accusers and witnesses in the case.

 
 

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