January 07, 2010
McGuire Ruling Could Open Doors for Appeals
MADISON, WI -- Wisconsin Supreme Court justices could open the door for more high-profile defendants to appeal their convictions if they rule in favor of a priest found guilty of sexual assault, Walworth County's top prosecutor said Tuesday. The Supreme Court on Tuesday heard oral arguments in the appeal of the 2006 conviction of Donald J. McGuire, a former Jesuit priest found guilty in Walworth County of molesting two boys in the 1960s. McGuire, who once commanded a worldwide following as a preacher and philosopher, is considered one of the most influential religious figures convicted in the Catholic Church’s sexual abuse scandal. The question before Wisconsin’s highest court is whether the 36 years between the offenses and McGuire’s prosecution barred him from presenting a proper defense and from having a fair trial.Click Here For The Full Story......