SAN JOSE, Calif., Dec. 7 (UPI) -- A California man entered a not guilty plea Tuesday to beating a Jesuit priest he says sexually assaulted him and his brother almost 40 years ago.
Will Lynch, 44, faces one count of felony assault, the San Jose (Calif.) Mercury News reported. The Rev. Jerome Lindner of Los Gatos, Calif., who denies molesting the brothers, was attacked in May.
Lynch and his brother received a financial settlement from the Catholic church. But Lindner was never charged with criminal conduct because the alleged abuse was only reported 20 years after the fact.
Prosecutors say they hope for a ruling from the judge barring Lynch and his lawyer from introducing the alleged sexual assault as evidence at trial.
Pat Harris, Lynch's lawyer, said his client plans to go to trial and to testify. Harris said he believes he will be able to give a jury evidence Lindner molested Lynch.
The brothers say Lindner assaulted them while they were attending a camp where he was a spiritual adviser. They said Lindner forced them to perform sex acts on each other while he watched in addition to assaulting them.
