Doctor to say if New Orleans priest with rape charges is competent to stand trial

[marmar]

(Guardian UK) Seven months after his arrest on rape and kidnapping charges, 92-year-old Catholic priest Lawrence Hecker appeared in court in Louisiana on Thursday in an orange prison jumpsuit, was rolled in a wheelchair to a back room and was evaluated by a doctor to see if he’s competent to stand trial.

Since being charged with aggravated rape, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated crime against nature and theft, Hecker has taken ill and was transferred from Orleans parish jail to a long-term care facility, under armed guard. Hecker’s defense attorneys argue he’s too sick to be tried and filed a motion last month to have him evaluated for his mental competency.

But Hecker stood for 18 minutes in the stifling heat last August and admitted to WWL Louisiana and the Guardian that he had “willing” sex with several underage boys in the 1960s and ’70s. In that same interview, Hecker denied doing what he was arrested for two weeks later – choking a boy unconscious in a church office in 1975 and raping him.

....(snip)....

In addition to Trahant’s allegation that the 1975 rape was reported to church officials, church files show another former student’s parents reported Hecker had sex with their son, and then Archbishop Philip Hannan confronted Hecker about it in 1988. Hecker told WWL Hannan was convinced Hecker wouldn’t do it again and didn’t punish him. ............(more)

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/apr/04/new-orleans-catholic-priest-rape-hearing-competent

[riversedge]

1. If he has any assets at all, I hope they go to his victims.

[MOMFUDSKI]

2. Is the doc

Catholic?