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  Prosecutors: Split Shanley Case in Two

By Robin Washington
Boston Herald [Boston MA]
April 9, 2004

Prosecutors preparing to try the Rev. Paul R. Shanley on child-rape charges made a bid to split the case in two yesterday, beginning the Oct. 18 Middlesex Superior Court trial with two alleged victims instead of four.

While prosecutors said reshuffling the complainants was "just for efficiency," the move could postpone testimony by Newton's Gregory Ford, whose civil suit contained contradictory assertions of when he first recalled being abused by Shanley.

Assistant District Attorney Lynn Rooney also asked Judge Steven Neal to allow nine others to testify Shanley molested them, though he hasn't been charged in those cases.

Shanley's lawyer, Frank Mondano, said some of those cases predate the 1980s allegations headed to trial, saying, "How do you defend yourself against ancient history?"

 
 

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