A former Hassan Township and Rogers priest has been found guilty of third-degree sexual conduct.On Tuesday, Feb. 12 inside a Hennepin County District Court room, John Bussmann was found guilty of using his position to have sex with vulnerable female parishioners.
The main issue surrounding the case was whether the involved women were seeking religious or spiritual advice, aid or comfort at the time.
In 2005, Bussmann was found guilty of two-counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct while he was a priest at St. Martin’s Catholic Church and St. Walburga Church, but due to evidence introduced during the first trial in relation to the Roman Catholic Church’s doctrine on the power of priests over parishioners, the state Supreme Court set aside earlier conviction in November 2007.
Defense layer John Westrick contended the women involved weren’t completely under his power because they did say no to sex on occasion.
Bussmann was acquitted on one of the charges because the woman involved had introduced sex into their relationship with her own talk.
However, he was found guilty of abusing a woman, of whom he had given her mother last rites too.
He later told the victim that he deceased mother spoke to him and wanted them to be together.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 12. The presumptive sentence is four years, three of which Bussmann has already served.
He will also have to register as a sex offender upon his release.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Disclaimer
No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.
The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.
Sotto Voce