What to do if you’re Will Lynch (pictured), a 43-year-old San Francisco man, who’s still just a bit upset over being molested by his priest — and forced to have sex with his own brother in the woods — when he was a boy? You find that priest and kick his ass. And then get arrested.
Lynch was released on $25,000 bail yesterday after surrendering to police earlier in the day. Facing charges of assault with a deadly weapon for attacking the Rev. Jerold Lindner — known as Father Jerry — on May 10. Lynch allegedly stopped by the Jesuit Sacred Heart Retirement Center in Los Gatos, where his 65-year-old former Jesuit priest lives, under the guise of a visitor delivering news of a family member’s death; instead, police say Lynch began punching him in the lobby in front of others and fleeing on foot when Lindner fell to the ground.
And that’s the difference between Lynch and Lindner: Lynch allegedly assaulted the priest in front of on-lookers, while Lindner allegedly assaulted the then-7-year-old boy and his 5-year-old brother Bart without witnesses. (The woods sure can be a private place!) And perhaps that’s why Lindner was never charged with any abuse, and Lynch faces felony charges and four years in prison.
Lindner and the church did, however, pay a $625,000 settlement to Lynch and his brother in 1998 following allegations of the 1975 molestation in the Santa Cruz Mountains, which included forced oral sex between the brothers, as well as physical torture of the boys (Lindner allegedly sodomized Will during the fellatio). Lindner has faced accusations of sexual abuse from at least a dozen other victims, including nieces and nephews and his own sister when they were as young as three. None of which kept Lindner from the church: Despite being named in two sexual abuse lawsuits in the years before and after the Lynch boys’ abuse, Lindner was removed from the church only in 2001 and sent to the Jesuit retirement home. Those cases settled in 2007 as part of a $660 million deal with 550 plaintiffs.
Lynch has faced a world of hurt since the molestation, reportedly attempting suicide twice and suffering from depression and alcohol abuse. In a 2002 interview, Lynch told the LAT, “Many times I thought of driving down to LA and confronting Father Jerry. I wanted to exorcise all of the rage and anger and bitterness he put into me. You can’t put into words what this guy did to me. He stole my innocence and destroyed my life.” But he’s likely out of luck if he wants to see Lindner criminally prosecuted: the 35-year-old crime falls outside the statute of limitations. And given Lindner spent 16 years teaching at the Los Angeles area Loyola High School, where he formed after school clubs, I would imagine there are more stories out there too late to punish Lindner with.
After driving himself to the hospital to tend to his cuts and bruisers, Lindner is back at the retirement home, where depending on who you ask, he either “cares for” some 75 infirm priests or communes with other sex offenders: A $7.5 million settlement was paid to two developmentally disabled dishwashers who alleged sexual abuse at the retirement hom.; Lindner befriended Br. Charles Connor, one of the men accused of the abuse.
Lynch’s attorney says his client is not guilty. [KTVU; AP; Read more about the Lynch molestation accusations at Counter Punch]
T
harboring such horrible feelings for so long without release can be destructive. It may be something you have to deal with your whole life. Violence is not the answer. It will not undo what has happened. The pain will still be there. So yes he was guilty of assault but justice should have been dealt to the abuser.
gollygeegaygoy
Personally I do not believe in loving your enemy or turning the other cheek. I think you have to fight back, but when you are a child you can’t. What Will did was belated self defense, and he should be released immediately.
Ian
@gollygeegaygoy: I wholeheartedly agree.
Michael
There seems to be a bunch missing from this story.
i_dunno_but
@gollygeegaygoy:
yup, my partner was abused by a Fr. 30 years ago when he was 11, and to this day he has occasional nightmares where he wakes up screaming… if the fat bastard wasn’t already dead, I might have done the same thing that Will did or worse… these assholes got no rights AND SHOULD HAVE NO STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS when it comes to having molested children… and I’m not referring to teens, I’m talking about CHILDREN under 12. AM I bitter? No, but in cases when you KNOW it happened, they need to be dealt justice.
Horatio Jones
Tell me where to send my donation to the Free Will Lynch Fund.
Breckin
@i_dunno_but: SHOULD HAVE NO STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS when it comes to having molested children I totally agree with this. I used to date an ADA who tried all the special victims cases like child molestation. There’s a lot that goes on that we don’t hear about, dreadful evil acts made by horrible people, that he had to deal with every day. His opinion also was that there should be no statute of limitations on child abuse, and that all major offenders should be locked up permanently.
Patrick
I’m sure Lynch does not regret it nor should he. Lets hope he gets a decent judge or jury who throw any charges out.
ouaisOut
Count me in. Let me know where we can donate to his defense.
My father was molested by his pastor, his step-father and his step-brother (6′ 4″ at age 15) in the 1930s and 40s and it ruined his life and mine. There should not be a statute of limitations on sexual crimes against children. The unpunished crimes continue to torment the victims for their entire lives.
Thanks Will, for punching one of these perverts for all of us.
CityTime
Go Lynch ! I know most of you gays hate “the micks”, but there’s one mick I’m on the side of! And I’m sure that’s not the only priest who deserved a sock in the nose.
whoa
All of the commenters here are idiots. You cannot condone vigilante justice. If you need me to explain why, then you’re even worse than an idiot.
gregger
@whoa: Excuse me but, courtesy of the law this man has never seen his torturer held accountable. This priest forced this then boy to suck his own brother’s cock and while he was doing it this the priest rammed his cock up the boys ass. Mr Lynch and his brother face a life time of being messed up because of a pedophile. I’m normally not into vigilante justice, but to hell with that this serial baby fucker deserves to find out what it feels like to be on the receiving end as there is NO LEGAL RECOURSE.
JOTR
Lynch should get a medal. And maybe one of the church’s vineyards.
T
@whoa: I did not advocate violence. But being a survivor myself I certainly understand it.
CityTime
Whoa : I never condone “vigilante justice” as a general accepted practice, for all the obvious reasons. But in a case like this, if it gives Mr. Lynch any kind of healing satisfaction at all, I’m all for it. Especially because there is no legal recourse in a case like this. Besides, Lynch just beat him up and embarrassed him, it’s not like he killed him or anything. (And this is from myself who was raised a very strict Catholic and had respect for priests until life experience- though I was never molested by one- taught me what rats so many of them are).
mikebuc
Will God forgive him? I think God needs a punch in the nose for standing by while one of his representatives molested little kids.
Loyola Alum
In regard to Fr. Jerold Lindner, the Jesuit priest allegedly beaten up by the person he victimized:
James Chevedden reported sex abuse within the California Jesuit Order to California Jesuit Leader Fr. Thomas Smolich. Smolich had publicly committed the Jesuit Order to providing a sanctuary for accused Jesuit pedophiles. Sadly Fr. Smolich did nothing in regard to Chevedden’s sex abuse report and Chevedden died violently at age 56.
Accused violent Jesuit pedophile Fr. Jerold Lindner, with $2 million in sex abuse settlements on his record and a resident of the Jesuit/Smolich sex abuse sanctuary, was alone with Chevedden near the death scene just hours before Chevedden’s violent death. Lindner asked to meet Chevedden at the time that turned out to be the time that Chevedden died violently. Lindner also knew where Chevedden would be at the time that Chevedden died.
The Jesuit Order covered up evidence related to Chevedden’s death and made it difficult for Chevedden’s family to obtain Chevedden’s body. Fr. Smolich is now paradoxically the top Jesuit official in the USA.
Loyola Alum
Fr. Jerold Lindner, the Jesuit priest allegedly beaten up by the person he victimized, was the last Jesuit to see Jesuit Fr. James Chevedden alive – 3-hours before Chevedden’s violent death and near the Chevedden death scene.
Early in his Jesuit life, Fr. James Chevedden met Fr. Francis Rouleau who helped him discover a fire in his heart for China. Chevedden first went to Taiwan as a scholastic, spent much of his life there, learned the language, wrote it, studied its music and literature. He had a great love for the Chinese people.
His closest Jesuit friends were those great of the California Province China mission, Fr. Francis Rouleau, Fr. George Wong, who spent more than twenty-five years in prison for his witness to his faith, Fr. Ed Malestesta, who learned Chinese in midlife, to die tragically just as his work was beginning to flourish, and Fr. Jim Thornton, who returned to retire at Santa Clara after a lifetime in China. They were his heroes, like other heroic Jesuits on another generation, Matteo Ricci, Adam Schall, Ferdinand Verbiest, who went to China in the sixteenth century.
When Fr. Chevedden returned to San Jose, California, he continued his work with Chinese Catholics. He was greatly beloved by parishioners at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Fremont and St. Claire’s in Santa Clara.
Chevedden and his three brothers graduated from Loyola High School, Los Angeles. Lindner taught at Loyola High School for 15-years.
Loyola Alum
Fr. Jerold Lindner, the Jesuit priest allegedly beaten up by the person he victimized, was the last Jesuit to see Jesuit Fr. James Chevedden alive – 3-hours before Chevedden’s violent death and near the Chevedden death scene.
Early in his Jesuit life, Fr. James Chevedden met Fr. Francis Rouleau who helped him discover a fire in his heart for China. Chevedden first went to Taiwan as a scholastic, spent much of his life there, learned the language, wrote it, studied its music and literature. He had a great love for the Chinese people.
His close friends were the China missionaries Fr. Francis Rouleau, Fr. George Wong, who spent more than twenty-five years in prison for his witness to his faith, Fr. Ed Malestesta, who learned Chinese in midlife, to die tragically just as his work was beginning to flourish, and Fr. Jim Thornton, who returned to retire at Santa Clara after a lifetime in China. They were his heroes, like other heroic missionaries of another generation, Matteo Ricci, Adam Schall, Ferdinand Verbiest, who went to China in the sixteenth century.
When Fr. Chevedden returned to San Jose, California, he continued his work with Chinese Catholics. He was greatly beloved by parishioners at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Fremont and St. Claire’s in Santa Clara.
Chevedden and his three brothers graduated from Loyola High School, Los Angeles. Ironically Lindner taught at Loyola High School for 15-years.
Gene
Pity. He should of killed the bastard and then he would have a defense of justifiable homicide. Now he will probably go prison as a felon for only hitting that pedophile priest who will never see the inside of a prison for all of his crimes.
dave
@mikebuc: Surely you jest. There is NO god. You believe in some “thing” some kind of benevolent puppeteer? Nonsense, all of this god stuff.
Ian
And worse if Will is a straight man then the court will let him off the hook w/a minor infraction (after all he was defending his hetero’ness, he ain’t no f**!), but if he is a proud gay man who defended his childhood self after the fact then the court will throw the book at him (because a gay man was being empowered, right-wing str8 society can’t have that! Far better to protect the pedo-priests instead of the victims if the victim is gay.)
I agree with others, if there is a legal fund for Mr. Lynch I want to contribute.
AdonisOfFire
Very cute guy.
Anyways, he should have killed the priest, not just beat him.
DR
While I clearly don’t approve of the abuse which occurred, this is in no way, shape or form acceptable. This was a premeditated attack on another person, plain and simple. I have no idea why the charges were never filed (even in sex assault cases, “he said/she said” is very common), and in 1998 he and his brother got a $625,000 judgment.
Mr. Lynch is in serious need of some counseling, not this kind of “self-help”. Now he’ll jam himself up in the system.
Cam
He isn’t in prison where he belongs, he molested dozens and his only punishment has been one beating? I’d say that preist got off VERY lucky.
Queer Supremacist
Will Lynch is an American hero. The only good papist cult leader is a dead papist cult leader.
I want to know where to send money to his legal defense fund. Seriously. What this guy did was not only not wrong, but an act of courage. Beating up a cultist is no different than beating up a Nazi. I’m just disappointed he didn’t kill the breeder. Even Jesus would have taken a machine gun to a room full of these scumbags.
If those dirty romanists think they can get away with bashing gays while molesting little boys any more, they’ve got another thing coming.
I’m still hoping for someone to assassinate Pope NaziKraut.
The KKKatholik Church must be destroyed by any means necessary, even if it means nuking the Vatican.
alan brickman
Hopefully he won’t have to do time…that would be a nice warning to pedochiles out there
nineinchnail
Will was right in what he did. These priests seem to think its okay to prey on kids just as long as they believe in god.
the crustybastard
Any statute of limitations for a crime committed against a child should begin to run from the day the child reaches legal adulthood, not from the time of the offense.
If I were Mr. Lynch, I’d insist on a jury trial, I’d waive my Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination and I’d tell the jury — in excruciating detail — why it was necessary to apply some small amount of street justice because the judicial system failed me and 12 other kids, so utterly, that our rapist never spent a minute in jail.
Takes 12 to convict. He’ll walk.
Steve
@Loyola Alum: Interesting to know. Thanks.
roger ramjet
Poor guy. But really, one fine-looking man!
Joe
I don’t think there should be a statute of limitations when it comes to sexual assault crimes. You shouldn’t be able to lay low for a few years and be free of it. As we can see with this case, the emotional scars stay around long after the physical ones heal. If these men have to deal with their molestations for the rest of their lives, so should those who committed the crimes.
mikebuc
@dave: I whole heartedly agree with you and yes, I was jesting!!
JoeyO'H
My partner was sexually abused by a Catholic Priest as a young boy, around 11 to 16 years of age. He talks about it with me on very rare occassions. His family turned a blind eye and to this day don’t want to hear about it- the denial.
I am thankful Will Lynch didn’t kill him. This man has been torchered enough and I would have hated to see him spend the rest of his life in prison because of this evil priest. Let God take care of his ass when it’s his time to die!
Ogre Magi
@Loyola Alum: Why are you telling us all this crap?
Seth
Damn shame he didn’t kill the bastard. The Catholic Church is quite possibly the most evil organization on Earth. They cover horrendous crimes and fail to stop those same crimes from happening again. Clear proof that their religion is a shame and god either doesn’t exist or he’s a total dick.
jjgg5
Catholics love their priests, but they hate President Obama?
Mike
A lot of people will say this was sheer vigilantism, and that as a society we shouldn’t tolerate it. A 65 year old man beaten while helpess? Is that justice?
Of course what happened wasn’t justice. It would have been justice if he’d been beaten to death.
Daniel
If God doesn’t forgive Will Lynch, HE would be an accomplice.
jckfmsincty
Is his brother as hot as he is?
James
I was molested when I was 7-11 by the same man over and over again. I believed him when he told me that if I told my parents they wouldn’t believe me so it went on for years. To this day I have never told my parents. I have had nightmares my whole life. I have lived a very insecure life. I look at myself in the mirror and see a very ugly man even though I am hit on by guys all the time and have a loving partner. I am going to be 45 years old soon and the pain doesn’t go away. I have been in and out of therapy and it doesn’t help. There should be no statute of limitations on sexual acts on children because it can take years to accept and deal with the shame and confusion, especially if you’re gay and think it was somehow your fault. I would love the pain to go away but I don’t imagine it will. My life was ruined by a degenerate.
merkin
To all those commenting on how “hot” this guy is, you make me want vomit. This man suffered horrible abuse that has nearly ruined his life and all you can think about is how he turns you on. And we wonder why straights think we’re perverted.
billyverde
Free Willy!
Loyola Cub
I was a student of Linder’s at Loyola High when he first arrived as a teacher, he had his hair greased up and thick rimmed glasses with a mustache – he looked a like a small Ernie Kovacs. He was a strong believer in the supernatural and discussed how he had performed exorcisms in Hawaii. When the students laughed at this, he went into a very long diatribe about there being true evil in people and that he had personally witnessed it. Little did I know the sick bastard was talking about himself. I pray for peace for all those molested by this monster and I’m glad Mr. Lynch gave him what he truly deserved. My thoughts also go out to all the priests that have given there lives to their community only to have their calling brought into question by this evil man and authorities within Church that were complicit in protecting people like this.
Rosanne
I am a Devout Catholic and I say good for Will Lynch. These priests need to have more done to them than just being beaten up. I’m disgusted with the Catholic Church for letting this go on for so long. The only reason I stay in the church is because Jesus and the Apostles started this religion. It was mankind who thwarted it by their evil deeds. Does anyone know how to contribute to Will Lynchs defense fund? Maybe instead of giving to the church this week we can give to him. Beating a priest up is mild compared to what I would do to that priest if it was one of my sons were abused.
bsmith
Will Lynch is a coward. He waited until the guy was 65 so he knew he could win the fight. He beat up an old man. What a tough guy. Lock him up with guys in their 20’s and see how he does.
no double standards
bsmith You are an idiot. Imagine the turmoil Will has gone through his entire life! Who knows what made him go and kick the shit out of Lindner. Will should have waited until Lindner was 85 and then beat the hell out of him. It would have been the same as Lindner molesting Will and his brother at such a young age. Lindner deserves no mercy but WILL does. He’s a kind and gentle person who has kept in this torture and finally snapped. Lindner should get down on his knees and thank god he isn’t dead… he certain would be if I had been Will. He will certainly live out eternity in HELL.
mlbw
Here is his defense fund site:
http://williamlynchdefensefund.com/
ATNNT
BSmith- You must be another of those anti-Irish gays we all know. I bet Mr. Lynch would do just fine against guys in their 20’s.
bsmith
No Double-Why the name calling? What ever happened to being civil and agreeing to disagree. That’s whats wrong with the world today. Everone who doesn’t agree with you is an idiot.
ATNNT- I’m not gay and partially of Irish heritage. If Will had gone after him 25 years ago he would get more support from me. I think he should go to prison for at least a year.
bsmith
Why does he need a defense fund? Didn’t he get a bunch of money a while back? Remember be kind to the elderly out there!
ATNNT
BSmith – Then if you’re not gay nor anti-Irish, I really can’t understand your hostility to Mr. Lynch. Even without being an expert on child molestation, I know it can take a long time to percolate and the victim blasts when he blasts. Maybe Lynch has tried for years to deal with it in all sorts of ways and finally it hit him that only turning-the-tables would satisfy him. And, whatever the case, doesn’t the age difference/timeline seem like a minor issue in this horrific case (horrific meaning that rotten priest’s original crime)?
bsmith
I don’t think I’m being hostile. I just feel Mr. Lynch has commited a crime here and should not be treated as a hero. Crimes against the elderly and children are especially horrific as they are preyed upon because of their weakness. By beating up an old man, he lowers himself. Obviously the priest should have been imprisoned , in my opinion for at least 50 years. As Ghandi (Gandhi?) said “An eye for an eye only makes the whole world blind”
ATNNT
BSmith – Of COURSE crimes against the elderly and children are awful IF they’re preyed upon solely because they’re weaker. I don’t think this is the case here. I’m betting it took up til now for Lynch to snap and want to beat the guy up and would have done so no matter what the priest’s age. I really feel you’re being distracted by the priest’s age here, and mistakenly equating it to other crimes against the elderly. And, speaking for myself, I don’t see Lynch in the hero category, just a guy who I support because I understand why he did what he did.
Jaroslaw
This is a very serious subject – why are there two comments about how cute this guy Will Lynch is?
There is no reason for all the conjecture though, both parties will get to tell their side in court.
And while I think any child molester deserves the death penalty (since it can’t be cured and people do occasionally escape or get paroled accidentally) I guess everyone missed the part in the article above where Mr. Lynch talked about the ordeal to the LAT in 2002? Which means someone should have helped him out – at that time. It wasn’t past the 35 years then, was it?
Syndy
@bsmith:
BSMITH so in other words you are sticking up for the Molesting Priest? As kids we are taught to respect our elders and priest are just a heart beat away from god and speak the words of god. Now we find out this is the field that pedophiles love to get into. Victim’s to young to know better and easily lead and able to influence and brain wash. These priest prey on the young, and should be held accountable, but no the CHURCH looks the other way or hides the crime. The Pedophile priest have been given a live sentence of ease and being taken care of for the rest of their lives while the young victims have live what happen to them by someone next to god and some one they beleive would never hurt them. They live with the nightmares, the injustice, the knowledge of not being able to keep your younger brother safe, the beleive god and the church let them down and did not protect them and they no question GOD. Why would god let this happen? Where is god, please god make this stop, dear god I hurt so much both mentality and physically, oh god not my baby brother. GOD and the Church abandon these boys.
NO STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS for Pedophile priest
PlateLicker
S Herold of the MercuryNews.com has a particularly asinine view on this situation.
http://www.mercurynews.com/scott-herhold/ci_16621297?nclick_check=1
Frank A. Lostaunau
What do you mean beat up a priest? All Will did was rough him up!
Giving somebody what for is not the same think as beating somebody up!
VIVA WILLY! VIVA!
Shannon1981
No sympathy whatsoever for the evil people who abuse kids. It ruins lives. The old man needs to go down, and Lynch deserves a prize.
ChrisD
I grew up with Will Lynch and his little brother and just found out about all this!, After reading all this i really hope this has brought some peace and closure to Will. My personal thoughts are this so called priest got off easy, I just retired from the military and know for a fact he would not have been able to ever do anything like this again when I got done with him!! Will if ya read this it’s Chris from down the street.