Former L.A. priest gets 3 years in prison in molestation case
A former Los Angeles priest at the center of Cardinal Roger Mahony’s unsuccessful attempts to keep archdiocese personnel files from county prosecutors was sentenced today to three years in prison for molesting a young boy two decades ago.
George Miller, 70, pleaded guilty in December to molesting the child between 1988 and 1989 and admitted sexually abusing at least three other boys after the archdiocese received its first complaint in 1977 about Miller molesting a child. "My family trusted you to teach me the ways of the Lord, not the ways of hell," one of the victims, now in his 30s, told Miller in a trembling voice in a San Fernando courtroom.
Miller, gray-haired and spectacled, sat silently with his fist covering his mouth. A handful of supporters sat behind him in the courtroom audience.
After the hearing, Miller's attorney said his client had a different version of what happened but decided not to contest the charges.
The district attorney’s office initially charged Miller in 2002 with molesting several boys. But the charges were dismissed the next year, along with more than a dozen other cases against priests or former priests, when the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a California law that extended the statute of limitations for decades-old sexual abuse.
Prosecutors were able to pursue a new criminal case against Miller when an additional victim came forward. Authorities said Miller befriended the victim’s mother when the boy was 5 years old and the priest was assigned to Guardian Angel Church in Pacoima.
An attorney for the victims said Miller was placed on leave in 1996 after he was accused a third time of molestation. Church officials said he never returned to the ministry and was reduced to lay status by the pope in 2005.
Miller was among the priests whose personnel files were the subject of a vigorous legal battle when Mahony fought against turning them over to the Los Angeles County grand jury.
Archdiocese officials argued that disclosure would violate priest-bishop communications and priests’ privacy rights. They yielded when the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear their arguments.
A federal grand jury is now investigating Mahony's response to allegations of sexual abuse by priests.
-- Jack Leonard
Top photo: George Miller is led away by a Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy after he was sentenced to three years in prison by Judge Cynthia Ulfig in U.S. Superior Court in San Fernando.
Middle photo: One of the victims in the case (back to camera) and his aunt, Joan Curtis, speak to the media after Miller's sentencing.
Bottom photo: Miller, left, confers with his attorney, Steven Cron.
Credit: Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times
"Miller was among the priests whose personnel files were the subject of a vigorous legal battle when Mahony fought against turning them over to the Los Angeles County grand jury."
And Mahoney has the audacity to wonder why there's a federal investigation on him??
Sickos!
Posted by: SMAN | January 30, 2009 at 11:36 AM
Why are the Comment Sections of these stories of clergy abuse and the Federal Investigation the LA Archdiocese of yesterday and the day before not available? I know several people who went to those stories and could not offer their remarks.
Posted by: Victoria Martin | January 30, 2009 at 12:34 PM
Why are priest-bishop communications and priest's privacy rights above everyone else's rights? Not to mention that we are talking about the rights of defenseless children. Mahoney is a control-freak. I found out when I worked with the archdiocese years ago. As a matter of fact, I think all Catholic organizations, including the schools, are guilty of controlling their flock by controlling information.
Posted by: D. | January 30, 2009 at 12:38 PM
Mahony needs to be prosecuted NOW!
Are there two sets of laws in the United States one for churches and one for the citizens?
How is this possible?
People rage about an elephant at the Los Angeles Zoo but when it comes to 70 year old priests performing sexual acts on children there is no protesting?
Does this make sense in a civilised world?
It is 1412 it's 2009 and it's time to put an end to these child molesting beasts!
Stand up, get organized or else your kid might one day come home saying daddy something happend at church today and it didn't seem right!
Posted by: boo boo | January 30, 2009 at 12:44 PM
LATimes: "Miller was among the priests whose personnel files were the subject of a vigorous legal battle when Mahony fought against turning them over to the Los Angeles County grand jury."
The truth about that is the archdiocese did not want to get sued by the priests whose files were released without their permission. California has privacy laws, and the archdiocese needed to know they could not be liable for releasing personal files. (Imagine the uproar if the archdiocese had to pay millions of dollars to accused molesters for "violating their privacy"!)
When the Court made its decision, the archdiocese actually welcomed it.
Although others (like those in SNAP) want you to believe otherwise, the Archdiocese did not fight the release the files as part of some "cover-up." It was to protect themselves from being sued by the accused priests.
Posted by: DPierre | January 30, 2009 at 12:57 PM
Why isn't Cardinal Mahoney being charged on conspiracy or aiding and abetting chargers?
Posted by: Bill | January 30, 2009 at 12:58 PM
i am a rc but to me the just punishment would be hanging on olvera street.
Posted by: ferenc | January 30, 2009 at 01:01 PM
Only three years? What a disgrace.
Posted by: Angie | January 30, 2009 at 01:10 PM
Years of legal manuvering by Mahony, cover-up, and a convicted child sex abusing priest. I can't for the life of me understand why a US Attorney wants to investigate, can you?
Posted by: Bob Schwiderski | January 30, 2009 at 01:39 PM
"Archdiocese officials argued (against the) disclosure. They yielded when the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear their arguments."
In other words, Mahony fought as long and as hard as he possibly could to keep this cover up covered up.
David Clohessy
National Director, SNAP
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests
314 566 9790 cell, 314 645 5915
SNAPnetwork.org
SNAPclohessy@aol.com
Posted by: david clohessy | January 30, 2009 at 01:50 PM
Priests , politicians, celebraties, and the rich are get preferential treatment?
If there is a crime committed no one should be above the law. Mahoney might
well think he's in Middle Age Europe where the church had absolute power.
To speak of sheltering priests from the law is to not be qualified to lead an archdioeses
Posted by: Joe Sixpack | January 30, 2009 at 02:05 PM
You want to help the economy? Sue the Church for all they have. Everything. They are the richest organization on the planet. Most of their wealtlh was either stolen, given to them with duress (you will go to hell unless you give us your wealth), or given to them as bribes. .
Posted by: Ronin | January 30, 2009 at 02:27 PM
HAHA! Religion, what a joke...
Posted by: jeff kim | January 30, 2009 at 02:45 PM
I sincerely hope the Fed's do take a long, hard and comprehensive look into Cardinal Mahoney's child molester management techniques. All he is doing is hiding out kid getters and claiming to try to offer counseling services to some really maladjusted men who do not belong free in this society.
Posted by: Norm Silver | January 30, 2009 at 03:11 PM
Why did it take these "victims" TWENTY years to speak up? They are the ones who aided and abetted the church in this ongoing moral violation. And spare me the rhetoric of "it just wasn't done back them" - horse manure. My father read the priests the riot act when my little brother and two of his friends mentioned a priest did something unusual to him and it never happened again - to any boys. It's a bit late to clean up the 2o year old spoiled milk.
Posted by: Natalie | January 30, 2009 at 03:14 PM
www.bishop-accountability.org/abusetracker for daily verified & vetted reporting on the "shocked" Teflon Cardinal...yeah, "SHOCKED" like Claudes Raines, as Louie, in CASABLANCA, that gambling was occurring in RICK's, while taking an envelope with his payoff Roulette Winnings...
THE SOLUTION? "STOP DONATING LAITY!" as St. Peter Damien correctly asserted.
Rog Mahal's motto remains = ISAIAH 28:15 while Rog and the USCCB (Unremoved Sexual Criminal Cabal Bishops) continued to divert/steal multiple tax free BILLIONS of laity offetory plate dollars, for the rolling pedophile cover up, with NO correction!!!
Edmund Burke reminds each of us: "The only condition for the triumph of evil is for good men (or women) to do nothing!"
This is all about money, yours laity, & it is a MORTAL SIN to be providing ANY to the likes of the Roman "La Cosa Nostra" Curia & evil office holders, like Roger Mahony, a clear & present danger to all children's safety.
FIAT LUX & VERITAS!
Albino Luciani,
MURDERED POPE
Posted by: Albino Luciani | January 30, 2009 at 03:27 PM
STATEMENT BY TOD TAMBERG, DIRECTOR OF MEDIA RELATIONS,
ON THE SENTENCING OF GEORGE MILLER
We hope that today’s sentencing brings some measure of comfort to George Miller’s victims.
Thirty-two years ago, the mother of a minor son asked church authorities to deal with the allegation she brought against Miller. Miller denied the allegation and Cardinal Timothy Manning allowed Miller to remain in ministry.
In 1989, a report of “boundary violations” was made against Miller. A boundary violation is not sexual abuse, nor is it a euphemism for sexual abuse.
In 1996, Cardinal Roger Mahony removed Miller from ministry upon receiving a complaint of sexual abuse that occurred in the 1970s. Miller was sent to treatment, then permanently removed from ministry. Subsequently, Cardinal Mahony successfully worked to have Miller removed from the priesthood.
Critics of the Archdiocese have falsely suggested that the Archdiocese fought to have Miller’s file kept secret. On the contrary, the Archdiocese only contested the release of certain categories of documents -- like medical records -- across the entire range of clergy personnel files, regardless of whose name was on the file. The Archdiocese promptly turned over Miller’s file to the authorities when it was requested.
In 2002, additional reports of abuse by Miller in the 1970s were made to the Archdiocese. The Archdiocese reported these claims to the Los Angeles Police Department.
#######
Posted by: Tod Tamberg | January 30, 2009 at 03:28 PM
It make me sicked to my stomach everytime I read about these cover-ups. I was raised Catholic and always felt a large vibe of hypocrisy throughout organized religion. Always do as I say, not as I do. Most Priest have always given me the creeps and are for the most part mentaly disturbed. I think are local and federal law enforcement agencies need to go after these religious organizations with a stiff hand.
Posted by: gabe | January 30, 2009 at 03:33 PM
With the sexual abuse of children by catholic clergy and the subsequent coverups being found on a similar scale and conducted in a similar manner across the English speaking world and with the consistent inability of the church in any of those countries to provide an appropriate or consistent Christian, legal or humanitarian based response to eliminate the abuses and to afford reparation to victims it becomes a matter of responsibility for our governments to legislate this failed religious group out of existence or at a minimum legislate them into compliance with their own teachings.
Posted by: John Brown | January 30, 2009 at 03:55 PM
And they're screaming about how wrong same-sex marriage is! That's the best part. As for these priests who go to jail, they usually kill themselves within a month. Their acts are despicable and the fact that the cults protect them make it even more atrocious. Put them all in jail. NOW. It's been far too long for these sub-humans to go unpunished.
Posted by: sfdr | January 30, 2009 at 04:20 PM
The hypocrisy of religion is disgusting. It's just a way to keep people stupid and to keep them from questioning authority. It's also a great way to get rich! And, really, if you're not brainwashed to believe those insane stories, and look at the bible objectively, who could believe that crap? But apparently it's easier to go along with the crowd. I find religion to be creepy and criminal and ridiculous. Thank God!
Posted by: Pam | January 30, 2009 at 04:23 PM
The LA Archdiocese cannot heal until Mahony steps down. Mahony should have stepped down when Chicago's Cardinal did, but Mahony sees himself as ominipotent and above the law. Mahony exhibits the worst kind of arrogance and it will be an absolute joy to watch the US Attorney shake him down.
If the Archdiocese or the Vatican had any sense they would throw Mahoney under the bus, right now, rather than let Mahony take the whole Church down with him.
Posted by: CathlicsAgainstMahony | January 30, 2009 at 04:43 PM
"The truth about that is the archdiocese did not want to get sued by the priests whose files were released without their permission. California has privacy laws, and the archdiocese needed to know they could not be liable for releasing personal files."
The truth about that is: the law is very clear that if personnel records are handed over as the result of a subpoena or legal action, then there can be no actionable claim against the person or organization responding to the subpoena or legal action. The lawyers for the archdiocese knew this, as did Mahoney. The truth is that Mahoney proffers this lie of an excuse in order to cover his machinations to impede justice. At the very least, Mahoney is guilty of obstruction; at worst, aiding and abetting. Those who seek to defend Mahoney or his actions are not themselves guilty of a crime, but they are certainly guilty of a moral lapse (also known as a sin). Had anyone but a Catholic Cardinal done this, they would be cooling their heels in a jail cell by now, and not living fat off money extorted from the poor.
Posted by: Cal Godot | January 30, 2009 at 04:56 PM
Seems like Mahoney likes to protect molesters and illegal immigrants.
Posted by: Jose | January 30, 2009 at 06:18 PM
Oh, you poor dears! 'Spilled milk' is how you describe a child rapist's actions ?Good luck with your 'salvation.' I hope you don't really believe all that Mahoney tells you about getting to heaven. Wire fraud? You should have shredded ALL of the documents and emails. Take Mahoney and Brom down together. Please investigate past claims of abuse by them personally. Get the picture? Wake up, little sheep. Your time is coming soon. I love the Olvera Street comment.
Posted by: bamermaid2 | February 02, 2009 at 09:02 PM