Thursday, December 6, 2007

Chaplain gets plea bargain in sex case

Lawyer: Priest will plead guilty to sex charges - Navy News, opinions, editorials, news from Iraq, photos, reports - Navy Times: "An HIV-positive Catholic Navy chaplain plans to plead guilty Thursday to charges involving sexual misconduct with an unspecified number of men, according to his attorney, who said the priest has known of his HIV status for more than two years."

Lieutenant Commander John Thomas Matthew Lee was facing life without parole if he didn't take the pre-trial agreement.

The Marines have not released the charge sheet on Lee so there is a lot that we don't know. Two of the charges are aggravated assault and indecent assault. Lee's attorney says that his client is "extremely remorseful." Lots of monsters are "extremely remorseful" after they're caught.

Can someone please explain to me why professions dedicated to helping others attract ambulatory turds like Lee?

EDIT: Lee's sentence has come down. He got twelve years with all but two of those years suspended. I am truly saddened by this. He raped a midshipman (Naval Academy cadet). Two years time served is not enough for someone like Lee who abused his authority and preyed upon people who came to him for help.

If you look at the left boot of the Marine following Lee you will see he has a dog tag in the laces. The other one is probably worn around his neck. The thought is that you won't lose your head and your feet at the same time and your buddies will have an easier time identifying your body.

It is men and women that have to think like that who were burdened with a sexual predator.

3 comments:

Anne said...

Would attempted murder be a reasonable charge? I think, given his HIV status and that he knew he has HIV, it would.

I'm not sure if all helping professions attract creeps like this. Certainly religious outfits do. The catholic church has a huge load of misery to answer for.

You're right, it is a ridiculously light sentence given the nature of his crimes.

Pigasus said...

Anne,

Michael Vick got 23 months for abusing dogs. I think that's all we need to say about that.

Anne said...

A history on that chaplain might show animal cruelty when he was young. Many critter-abusers graduate, if you will, to human abuse.

Neither that chaplain nor Michael Vick is someone I'd want loose in my community.