AG defends plea deal

[0:00] ..." A controversy in the Boston Globe this morning about something that. Attorney General Martha Coakley then the head of the child abuse crimes unit in the Middlesex DA's office didn't do in the first time the chief. Brought justice to father John -- in the notorious. Child abuser and a pedophile priest the attorney general who is according to the polls the leading senate candidate right now for the Ted Kennedy seat is here to talk about what the newspaper story says and basically. Attorney general Coakley it maintains is dead by keeping the proceedings out of the public view and settling for. A plea deal on merely. Probation. You perhaps miss an opportunity to expose the this extent of the"...

[0:53] ..." all of this was particular about 1995. This is well before. The public or even. The globe had done it here he's done what we have now been beaten at the time. In terms of"...

[1:44] ..." treatment -- by the -- he had access to adhere to those records later on when we did. Indictment that charges and convicted convicted -- that the evidence of a series of bulk. I think."...

[2:39] ..." in hindsight do you wish that perhaps -- had been in more public. Forum for these allegations against the priest that it might have acted. As attorney might have forced the archdiocese is."...

[3:21] ..." even today. You cannot bring criminal charges and ordered simple we have public opinion that the one thing we can't do. On I didn't know that civil suit because -- family in this instance was"...

[0:00]" A controversy in the Boston Globe this morning about something that. Attorney General Martha Coakley then the head of the child abuse crimes unit in the Middlesex DA's office didn't do in the first time the chief. Brought justice to father John -- in the notorious. Child abuser and a pedophile priest the attorney general who is according to the polls the leading senate candidate right now for the Ted Kennedy seat is here to talk about what the newspaper story says and basically. Attorney general Coakley it maintains is dead by keeping the proceedings out of the public view and settling for. A plea deal on merely. Probation. You perhaps miss an opportunity to expose the this extent of the problem that a file priests."

[0:48]" Well let me say that there is the globe article certainly highly. How complicated difficult all of this was particular about 1995. This is well before. The public or even. The globe had done it here he's done what we have now been beaten at the time. In terms of complaints that have been filed in -- by private attorneys complain that have been open field by the archdiocese. On at the time of course. Are we get northern complaints about other -- and I had been working in in in protecting children and understanding behavior. That we considered to be a -- but did not rise in the level where we could charge. A crime. Other than our ongoing and perhaps it will cause I believe that what we did in this instance. Was exactly. What we shouldn't have done. That is making sure the -- was. On -- out of the circumstances put on probation. Required to undergo treatment -- by the -- he had access to adhere to those records later on when we did. Indictment that charges and convicted convicted -- that the evidence of a series of bulk. I think. The the behavior. A father -- was disturbing we knew that we indicated that is the mother and his attorneys which is -- they were able to bring for the civil suit. But as an attorney and particularly a lawyer I'm working as -- it's within district attorney. I can help me bring criminal charges when I have the evidence. And I think we went the extra mile in this case. That we could not bring charges eventually did though the children and the keys were protected and other children would be protected but what did. On it so I I think that that would direct result."

[2:31]" it -- it was a question the gravity of the offense and it didn't meet the standards for the sort of -- prosecution that might have been more successful. But in hindsight do you wish that perhaps -- had been in more public. Forum for these allegations against the priest that it might have acted. As attorney might have forced the archdiocese is."

[2:51]" And earlier. -- I think again bringing it back context we had not brought here is targeted. Against other Manning he was found not guilty even though he believed he had a case the jury found him not guilty on that. We've been understood these allegations here that did not rise for the level of a criminal sexual complaint. I have an obligation not to bring charges that I still would. Based upon what we do it under the circumstances even today. You cannot bring criminal charges and ordered simple we have public opinion that the one thing we can't do. On I didn't know that civil suit because -- family in this instance was represented by the the civil attorney I knew they -- going to try double -- with the standard is different and ethical concerns may be different. But that was that was -- all. Not evidence that we could it charges there was -- little boring it was suggest that we should have done that that would ban on ethical code it is due. And capital wouldn't have been any more successful. Bringing a plane. And remember what we bring forth an indictment all we can do that the charges against commonality of the week yet. I'm trying to -- other victim that's not what we do in the criminal justice system. And what -- that we do on that we had to do what we could to protect those kids we did that I think he did very well. And I think said others including the arts got it is and other attorneys who did the complaints about being in. I'm certainly are the villain in this the globe exposed that later on. That they had not done what they should've done it exposing it. But keeping in mind that the Arab charges have been. Of the district attorney. -- protected we have to look at the cases what I want and what we have a we have evidence. If we did do I think everything we could've that the -- which was to put him on probation get -- counseling that was not. It wouldn't be confidential he had access to that later and win the charges and -- with the police that he could charge. We are the only DA office on to bring successful charges not only against other date yet but against many other -- So we -- comprehensive approach to child abuse we wanted to protect those kids we did what he could under the act the law. On and I think it was the right decisions."