No more delays

"Whether it'sagreeable or not, a firm trial date in February will occur," San DiegoCounty Superior Court Judge John Einhorn told attorneys on the case,adding that the Feb. 14 trial date "assures (this) case will be thefirst of the San Diego cases to go to trial, which has been the court'shope."

In the lawsuit, a Colorado woman accuses a longtime Inland priest,Monsignor Patrick J. O'Keeffe, of sexually abusing her in 1972, whenshe was a 17-year-old parishioner at St. Adelaide Catholic Church inHighland.

Her lawsuit names the church and the Diocese of San Diego, of whichInland parishes were a part before the San Bernardino Diocese wasformed in 1978.

Attorneys for the San Diego Diocese cautioned Einhorn that amid-February trial could be too soon, citing the number of witnessesyet to be interviewed by attorneys. Diocesan attorney Dan White saidstarting in mid-February "is going to crunch everybody."

Einhorn dismissed the concerns, citing previous delays. The trial had been scheduled to start next week.

Katherine Freberg, the Colorado woman's attorney, said she requestedthe postponement until next month because she is waiting for anotherjudge to finish reviewing the diocese's personnel file on O'Keeffe.That judge is determining what, if any, of that paperwork her client isentitled to.

The O'Keeffe case is the first of five lawsuits scheduled to starttrial in San Diego in the coming months. Attorneys for those suing thediocese in the other lawsuits expressed concern at Friday's hearingthat delaying the O'Keeffe case could result in postponements in theirown cases.

Freberg said outside court that there have been no recent settlement talks in the case.

"It's clear the Diocese of San Diego wants to try some of thesecases, and this gives us the opportunity to present . . . what thedioceses of San Diego and San Bernardino did over a number of years inprotecting pedophile priests," Freberg said.

Her client was not in the courtroom Friday. But Freberg said thewoman is prepared to testify "to expose what the diocese has done."

O'Keeffe, now 70, spent 35 years working at Inland churches.

He was dismissed from all parish duties in 1994 after the SanBernardino Diocese settled a lawsuit brought by one of three adultwomen who had accused him of sexual misconduct, diocesan officials havesaid.

He returned to his native Ireland in 2002, just weeks before SanBernardino County prosecutors charged him with 15 felony counts of oralcopulation with a minor related to the Colorado woman's accusations.

Those charges were later dropped because the statute of limitations had expired.

Freberg said attorneys deposed O'Keeffe last year in Ireland but he has declined to return for the trial.

Officials with the San Bernardino Diocese said Friday they have not had any contact with O'Keeffe.

The retired priest also faces accusations of sexual abuse from threeother women, including allegations that he fondled a girl in 1990 whenshe was a 14-year-old student at St. Margaret Mary School in Chino.

Some of the accusers are identified in court documents. Their namesare being withheld by The Press-Enterprise, which does not routinelyidentify people who may have been victims of sexual abuse.

Reach Michael Fisher at 951-368-9470 or mfisher@PE.com