WILMINGTON -- Navy Cmdr. Kenneth J. Whitwell took the stand Thursday in U.
S. District Court and told a panel of six jurors what no Delaware jury has heard before: He told them how he was sexually abused by a Catholic priest as a student at Archmere Academy.
, described almost three years of sexual abuse -- hundreds of incidents including fondling, oral and anal rape -- by the Rev. Edward Smith, who was a religion teacher, an English teacher and campus minister at Archmere from 1982 to 1984. The abuse started, Whitwell said, when he was a 14-year-old freshman.
Today, psychiatrist Dr. Carol Tavani is expected to testify before the jury begins deliberations.
Robinson warned before the start of the day that she would dismiss the jury if attorneys' statements crossed the line and became inflammatory or prejudicial.
Almost immediately, Smith drew in the shy, stuttering Whitwell as a special companion. Whitwell said Smith would have him come to his office to move boxes and just hang around.
He is God's representative on earth. He is God's right-hand man. God communicates to us through priests.
They are chosen by God to do this unbelievably special thing here on earth."
On another occasion, several priests were with him when he was drinking and watching a movie, that involved nudity, with Smith, Whitwell said.
Michael Collins -- raised concerns or protested the boy's presence in the priory, Whitwell said they did not. Nor did Smith's priest friends object when the boy slept in Smith's room during trips to a New Jersey shore beach house.
It does not respond to Whitwell's statements involving other priests specifically named in his testimony.
Archmere is profoundly sorry that one of its students was abused by a faculty member," the statement said. "It goes without saying that any abuse of a student by a teacher is contemptible, and when the abuser is a priest it is particularly despicable. Archmere sincerely apologizes to Kenneth Whitwell, and pledges to the Archmere community that we are doing everything we can to make sure that our students remain safe.
"
Whitwell said Smith sexually abused him in Delaware and during trips to Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Wisconsin and Vermont.
Smith, though, later made a similar attempt on a younger brother of Whitwell's, who punched the priest and left the South Philadelphia area where they had been drinking, Whitwell said. When that brother told Whitwell's mother, she asked Whitwell if Smith had tried such things with him. Whitwell denied he had.
He went to speak to the head of the priory and encountered Smith as he waited for the superior to arrive. Later, in his superior's presence, Smith did not deny the acts Whitwell said he had done, but claimed he, too, had been abused and told Whitwell he had lost a great deal when the relationship ended.
I didn't mean for any of that sexual stuff to happen, but I love you,' " Whitwell said. "If he's sorry, why isn't he here telling you [the jury] how much he's sorry?"
She said she grieves for him.
I was an alter boy from 2nd grade thru 8th. This was in the 60's. I never once was subjected to anything that was reported to happen to other people.
I would spend time with the priests, one even took us swimming in White Clay Creek. Never once was there any inappropriate behavior. We did not change infront of the priest or anything like that.
They fed our spiritual needs and tried to help us to grow as Christian men. Why do I mention this, because I do not want to see all priests stereotyped. I have no doubt that abuses occurred and I it is a shame they did.
Worse is the cover up that ensued. I just do not wish to condemn all priests. I have found that sometimes talking to a priest to be a good way to get things off my chest.
Yes they are friendly, they have to be to do their job. But not all of them are drunks or perverts. Some have answered a call and they deserve admiration for the sacrifices they make.
Don't blame religion for evil. Blame the accumulation of absolute power.
The Vatican has enorced the cover-up of sexual abuse for *many* years.
Benedict was in on it.
http://newsvote.bbc.
co.uk/2/hi/programmes/panorama/5389684.stm
As far as I know, most religions don't rely on human intermediaries (translate that as power) as much as the Catholic Church and some Islamic communities do.
Everyone wants someone to blame. Maybe your poor attitude and obvious anger problem was the cause of your marriage break up or maybe you just have bad taste in men. Take some responsibility.
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