Interview w/ Poandl Accuser from August 2010

(Accompanies this story at City of Angels Blog posted September 30, 2013.) 

Spencer, West Virginia

“It was a kind of brainwashing.  He brings up corporal punishment,” says GH (Got Him) about the drive home after Father Bob took him in 1991 to a small town in rural West Virginia and raped the 10 year old boy late at night in a dark church.  On the way home: “Mom asked Bob about the trip and he right away said, ‘We talked about Corporal Punishment, and then glared at me.  I shut the whole incident out of my mind after that.” –GH in August 2010

GH’s brother said to me in Aug 2010: 

“I don't want this pedophile to not be prosecuted.  We're pursuing a federal indictment.”

He asked me to hold onto this interview with Poandl's accuser and not publish it until after Poandl was prosecuted in federal court.  Well the dirty little priest got convicted on Wednesday of last week in Cincinnati of transporting a minor across state lines for illicit purposes.  Here is a transcript of the interview I conducted with  GH and his brother, two men from Cincinnati who got one pedophile priest Father Bob Poandl criminally prosecuted and convicted, facing up to ten years sentence

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(I asked GH, about the hearing in Spencer, West Virginia, where charges were dropped, this is what he said.)  

  

I came home from work and found out the hearing on Poandl’s motion to dismiss was the next day.  The Defense filed their motion to dismiss on a Thursday and it went before the judge next day.

I had one-day notice of the motion to dismiss.  It all happened over the phone.

They were in a court setting, and I was sitting in Ohio in Poandl’s defense attorneys’ offices by myself.  The prosecutor told me to go to law offices of Dinsmoor and Schulls for the hearing.  I had an attorney for the church sitting right next to me. 

During the hearing Roane County DA Josh Downey only objected one time.

The defense honed in on the medical records. 

They tried to steamroll us, we've got affidavits.  They claim I manipulated the medical records.  I have an affidavit from the medical records department at physician’s office. 

52 pages of medical records was provided to by the doctors me and that's what I provided to the court.  

Poandl's defense said there is no travel log for him going to West Virginia, that he never went to West Virginia, but the private investigator got a copy of travel documents and we found a bulletin that showed Poandl giving Mass in that time period in West Virginia.

[Before the case was dismissed]

I had taken a week off work for the trial.  They wanted all my employment records going back to part time jobs in high school. 

I contacted all of them, using the terminology requested by the judge. 

I had taken week off for the upcoming trial, and made reservations to stay a week in a hotel.

Problem is we're facing the Glenmarrys and they don't bat an eye at hiring six hundred dollar an hour lawyers.

Anita Ashley is one lawyer by herself, they also hired Dimsmoor.  That's one of the highest priced law firms in Cincinnati.  They have big nice offices.

Downtown, Spencer, WV

I have never once been contacted, not once, by anyone from the Catholic Church.  If they did [make a settlement offer], I’d say, I'm not interested in your money.

When I gave deposition to Sgt. Swiger [in West Virginia], I put forth all the information, clearly described what happened with very clear accuracy.  I have a very vivid memory, in fact, I've had many nightmares about it since.  I finally realized I couldn't just push it out of my mind.  I felt guilt that by me not coming forward, this guy is still out there doing his deeds. 

First Poandl said he never went to West Virginia, but the private investigator got a copy of travel documents.  Then they said there is no travel log for him going to West Virginia, but later we found a bulletin that showed Poandl giving Mass in that time period in West Virginia. 

They muddied the jury pool in West Virginia with things they know are incorrect, that's what I think.

The medical records that were missing [which caused the 2010 case to be dismissed] concerned an incident:

In 8th grade, three years later I was attacked by two guys, both received felonious assault charges

That incident had absolutely nothing to do with the molestation.

****************

“After he ejaculated, in a weird voice he said, ‘I did a bad thing, I did a bad thing.’”

HERE IS GH’S ACCOUNT OF THE ACTUAL INCIDENT

In the Spencer West Virginia church in 1991

Just before fifth grade is when the abuse occurred.  I didn't want to tell anybody, last thing you want is for your friends to know.  I grew up in a conservative Catholic town, Cincinnati

I was a kinda small scrawny kid in fifth grade, then 3 years later I was 6-4 (now I'm 6-7).

It was late on a Saturday in 1990, our family had been interacting with some some marriage encounter friends including Poandl.  My dad was out of a job. 

Poandl showed up in late afternoon early evening, and says, “At the last minute I have to cover for a priest, and it’s a long drive to West Virginia.  Can one of your boys come with me to keep me awake while I'm driving.”

Poandl gave my parents something like a thousand dollars at the time.  So my mom felt she owed him and he seemed like a holy nice guy. 

It was dark out when we got there.  We went in the rectory and he said, we've got to get up early, let’s go to bed.  I went into the bathroom, was starting to change, and he was looking over the door.  I wanted privacy, so I went and locked it, took my shower, went to bed.  He waited until I fell asleep and he raped me, I woke up in the middle of the act [SNIFFS] [TEARS]

When it was over, at first he lost his composure, right after he ejaculated.  In a weird voice he said, “I did a bad thing, I did a bad thing,” then regained his composure, then said, “Dave, we sinned, we need to pray,” and he made me get on my knees and pray to God for forgiveness. 

It was just an absolutely awful incident. I remember all kinds of little details from the next day but it was a kind of brainwashing. 

It started with the praying for forgiveness.

Then on the ride home he said, “We had sex last night.  We need to pray and no one else needs to know it, it’s between us and God.”  Then after an hour more driving, he says, “So what are you going to tell your parents about the trip?”  I said I’d just mentioned little things that happened.

Then he brings up corporal punishment. 

(NOTE: The victim to this day still calls him Bob)

(QUOTES FROM DH AUGUST 2010 continued:)

(When they returned from the trip to West Virginia:)

Mom went to talk to Bob and she said what did you do on the trip.  Bob right away said, “We talked about Corporal Punishment,” and then he glared at me.  I shut the whole incident out of my mind after that.

About a year later at age eleven, I started sneaking alcohol from my parents.  Before the incident in West Virginia I had been a good kid.  After that I started smoking pot, but still kept taking school seriously.

By seventh eighth grade I fully realized what had happened and I didn't want anyone to know it.

It would have been really-really hard to report it at that time.  I thought, there’s nothing I can do about it, I just want it to go away.  I became a vehement atheist. 

**************** 

QUOTES FROM ACCUSER’S BROTHER AUGUST 2010

They lied, they accused my brother of destroying medical records, their private investigator knew that wasn’t true, and they created a false impression

Defense counsel wrote the Judge’s order, when the judge dismissed the case. 

The prosecutor was overworked and naïve.

The defense was so over the top.

Father Poandl has a criminal defense attorney then the Glenmarrys have the largest firm in Cincinnati, which includes Ashley and then another lawyer Dennis Curry in West Virginia.

A team of at least five high paid defense attorneys came up against this one small town West Virginia with a DA who was two years out of law school.

I don't want this pedophile to not be prosecuted. 

The priest’s story is that the whole trip never happened.  He’s not just calling my brother a liar, but my mother and me as well.   I remember Poandl coming by, I remember my mother asking me to go and I didn't want to.

I thought Poandl was creepy [LAUGHS] I do remember thinking he was creepy.

When my brother informed the family recently, I was the one who made the phone call to the DA. 

Any felony in West Virginia has no Statute of limitations

******************

A Motion for Reconsideration was filed October 8, 2010, and GH's brother said Josh Downey, DA in Spencer, West Virginia, seemed receptive. Hearing date could be October 25^th. 

It never happened. 

From August 2010:

MORE

NOTES

From Poandl accuser from August 2010 interview, who was 26 years old in 2010: 

More will come to light.

(Re the molestation)  “I've been living with it a long time.  Recently found out where Poandl was from the Glenmarry website.  I want to see him behind bars.  I never filed a civil suit.  I want to keep him away from other kids.

I realized he is in Claxton, Georgia, and he’s going to be around children.  He’s in a position of authority and trust, and the parishioners aren’t even aware of what he’s done.

The stuff that has happened since I came forward, it’s so unbelievable that they would react this way.  It’s like you're reading a fiction book.

I made the mistake of contacting the Glenmary organization and [attorney] Dan Dorsey said, “We have a zero tolerance policy,” and “so sorry that happened.” I’d like to have a meeting with you and Poandl and discuss this.  [LAUGHS]

(Below are not quotes, just my notes)

Judge initially denied part of the church’s motion for extended records, then the Church added another attorney, Anita Ashley, and he granted the motion in June.

THE JUDGE SLANDERED the victim out loud in court, including his name, but by then the conference call was over and the victim had left the church attorneys’ office and gone back to work, did not even know the outcome of the hearing until he got back home. 

Victim had to take a week off work, spent rounding up every medical record, every name and address of every doctor or shrink he’d seen since 1991. 

In August 2010 GH and his family were hoping the Roane County DA would follow-up with their Motion for Reconsideration. 

He didn't.

Ah, Wild Wonderful West Virginia. . . 

Posted by Kay Ebeling, blogger, Images from Google