Catholic Priest Accused of Sex Abuse Dies Mysteriously
Pastor Dale Morgan
Catholic Priest Accused of Sex Abuse Dies Mysteriously *
Saturday September 16, 2006 2:31 AM
By KIM CURTIS
Associated Press Writer
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - A Catholic priest, who was once a charismatic,
nationally renowned youth minister but was later accused of sexually
abusing children, has mysteriously died, authorities said Friday.
The body of Donald Wren Kimball, 62, was found in his friend's home in
Windsor, about 54 miles north of San Francisco, Sheriff's Sgt. Tim Duke
said. Police have not as of now found the cause of his death, he said.
Kimball, who was ordained in 1969, rose to national prominence in his
early 30s with an award-winning radio show aimed at young people.
He was accused of using his charm and popularity to coerce teenage girls
to have sex with him. In 1990, after Kimball acknowledged having sexual
contact with six young girls, church officials forced him to give up his
youth ministry and suspended him from performing priestly duties.
Abuse allegations against Kimball first became public in 1997. Criminal
charges were filed in 2000 - the same year Pope John Paul II formally
removed him from the priesthood.
In a 2002 trial, Kimball was acquitted of raping a 14-year-old girl in
1977 but convicted of molesting a 13-year-old girl in 1981. The
conviction was overturned in 2003 after the U.S. Supreme Court struck
down a California law extending the statute of limitations for sex
crimes involving children.
The two alleged victims each received about $120,000 after the church
settled their civil suits against him.
During the 2002 trial, Kimball shoved a San Francisco Chronicle
photographer's camera into her face, then grabbed it and threw it to the
floor. Kimball was later convicted on felony assault and vandalism and
served prison time.