Community Corner
Letter: Prosecute Jerold Lindner
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The recent verdict in the William Lynch trial shows how out of touch Santa Clara District Attorney Jeff Rosen is with the people who elected him to office.
The jury found Lynch not guilty of felony assault, felony elder abuse and misdemeanor elder abuse. Only on the single count of misdemeanor assault did they fail to reach agreement and only due to Lynch testifying that he did, in fact, assault Jerold Lindner. He wanted to “take responsibility and be accountable," unlike the Church and "Father Jerry.”
Prosecutor Vicki Gemetti put Lindner on the stand knowing that he would lie and deny the molestation of Lynch and his brother. After perjuring himself and exercising his Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination, Linder returned to the Sacred Heart Jesuit Center in Los Gatos. There, he lives in comfort with several other accused priests under what can best be described as minimal supervision by untrained staff.
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Rosen stated in a recent press conference that “Unfortunately, (Lindner) is beyond the limits of human justice for crimes committed decades ago. However, he is not beyond divine justice for the crimes he committed in this world."
Rosen may be correct that there will never be true justice for the dozens of children Lindner is accused of victimizing as he will never be tried for those crimes. However, Lynch's attorneys have asked that his office charge Lindner with perjury using the same “rule of law” they are so fond of espousing when justifying the overzealous prosecution of their client.
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On his website, www.sccgov.org/sites/da/Pages/Office-of-the-District-Attorney.aspx, Rosen declares that “We want to make this community a safe place for you and your family." Are the citizens of Santa Clara County better protected by retrying Lynch on the single misdemeanor count that ended in mistrial or prosecuting Lindner for perjury?
Rosen will inform the court this Thursday, July 12, of his decision whether to refile charges.
The jury has already spoken, realizing what Rosen apparently does not: Lynch has already served his sentence. Please join Lynch's supporters in contacting the District Attorney’s office urging them to not to pursue further charges against him and to investigate Lindner and the Sacred Heart Jesuit Center. Thank you.
Rosen can be reached at Office of the Santa Clara County District Attorney, 70 West Hedding St., west wing, San Jose, CA 95110, 408-299-3099, Jrosen@da.sccgov.org.
