← Autodidact Archive · Original Dissent · Stigmata
Thread ID: 18104 | Posts: 1 | Started: 2005-05-05
2005-05-05 06:32 | User Profile
[font=Arial]Defrocked priest takes witness stand, admits molesting nephew[/font]
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DAVENPORT -- After 50 years of silence and denials, defrocked priest James Janssen took the witness stand in a Davenport courtroom Wednesday and reluctantly admitted abusing his nephew in the 1950's and 1960's, starting when he was just five years old. Janssen was ordered to come to court Wednesday and testify at the request of attorneys for his nephew, James Wells, despite the objection of Janssen's lawyer.
Janssen, who was officially kicked out of the priesthood last year amid allegations and lawsuits of sexual abuse, was asked under oath, ''Did you molest Jim Wells and were you his uncle and priest, on Thanksgiving Day, 1953?''
Janssen replied, ''Yes.''
''Was Jim Wells 5 years old?''
''I imagine so,'' replied Janssen.
The 83-year-old former priest repeatedly testified that he couldn't recall dates or details of the nine years of abuse.
Attorney Craig Levien then asked him, ''Is it possible that your fondling and masturbation occured so many times, you don't even remember every incident with Jim Wells?''
Janssen replied ''That's correct.''
Later, Levien asked Janssen, ''You're not a very holy man are you?''
Janssen answered, ''God will decide that.''
Levien countered, ''But you admit the abuse?'' Janssen
''If he [Wells] says that, I'm not contesting it,''
Levien: ''That's not a holy act is it?''
Janssen: ''No.''
Janssen denied holding naked card parties with another priest and denied throwing naked swimming parties, and masturbating with a group of boys in a club he allegedly created called the ''Rodknockers.''
But Janssen was followed by a now-50-something year old man named Robert Wagner, who says was there, and the Rodknockers were real.
''I kept this hid for 40 years,'' a visibly shaken Wagner testified. ''A 'Rodknocker' was a young boy who masturbated.''
Wagner explained that the group of 10 to 12 boys would hang out with Janssen at the Mississippi River near Blue Grass in a cabin.
''I was a victim. My experience is I was too afraid to say anything to my mother.'' said Wagner.
When asked if he had received any of the $9 million dollars in settlement money paid by the Davenport Diocese-- many paid to victims of Janssen--Wagner angrily replied, ''I have not participated in any settlement. It just makes me sick though, that nobody's willing to acknowledge what happened."
In earlier depositions taken for the civil case, under oath, Janssen repeatedly denied any abuse. Wells' attorneys say they have handed over transcripts of today's testimony and prior written statements .to the Scott County Attorney's office, to see about possible perjury charges against Janssen. Perjury in Iowa is a Class D felony.
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