BOSTON (WHDH) - Pedophile priest Paul Shanley has died at the age of 89.
Shanley was a central figure in Boston’s clergy sex abuse scandal and was convicted in 2005 for raping a young boy at a Newton parish in the 1980s.
Mitchell Garabedian who served as counsel for more than 50 of Shanley’s sexual abuse victims said, “Respectfully, the passing of Paul Shanley will now allow innocent children to be safer in society. The pain caused by Paul Shanley could have been avoided if the Archdiocese of Boston had properly supervised him and not practiced an almost unspeakable cover-up.”
Shanley was released from prison in 2017 after serving his sentence.
The Archdiocese of Boston released a statement upon learning of Shanley’s death, saying, “The harm caused to so many by Paul Shanley is immeasurable. His victims showed great courage in exposing his crimes and fighting for justice both within the criminal justice system and the church. We are indebted to Shanley’s victims and all victims of clergy abuse for what they have done to stop the abuse, assure that the Church supports healing for those abused, and puts the protection of children at the top of our priorities.”
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