Rev. Paul Shanley Released on Bail
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: The priest who has been an icon of the Catholic Church abuse scandal is out of jail. Paul Shanley was just released on $300,000 bond after spending seven months in jail. The 71-year-old priest He is charged with 10 counts of child rape and six counts of indecent assault and battery after allegedly abusing boys at a Massachusetts church in the 1980s. As a matter of fact, we'll get some more now on that, our Bill Delaney, our Boston bureau chief, has been following this roiling case of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church for sometime now and has the very latest for us on the release of Paul Shanley. Billy, you there?</s>BILL DELANEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Leon. You know, Paul Shanley was a priest once beloved in Boston for his working as a street priest with runaways and people with drug problems in the 1970s and '80s, but now, as you said, he's in jail for four alleged rapes in the 1980s and has now been released on bail, $300,000 worth of bail raised, his attorney, Frank Mondano (ph), says by friends and supporters. As I said, Shanley was once something of a hero in Boston, and he still apparently has enough admirers to race a few hundred thousands of dollars worth of bail for him. Now, victims we've spoken to in advance, alleged victims of sexual abuse here that we've spoken to in advance of this, because this has been rumored for a day or two, hearing of his impending release, while none of them happy about it, but particularly fearful that he might try to flee the country. That may help explain the conditions of his release on bail -- the conditional surrender of his passport. He must stay in Massachusetts. He must stay away from any of his aged victims. He must, in fact, have no contact with anyone under the age of 16. Now, he's expected to go on trial in January, Leon. Back to you.</s>HARRIS: Good deal. Thanks, Bill. Bill Delaney, our Boston bureau chief, following that story, the release of Reverend Paul Shanley.