Another Bishop Picked Up for Drunk Driving

Michie · May 15, 2013

Massachusetts bishop will escape trial for drunk driving; pleads guilty to lesser charge

Drunk-driving charges against Bishop Robert McManus of Worcester, Massachusetts, will be dismissed, after the bishop pleaded guilty to a lesser charge, his lawyer has said.
Bishop McManus agreed to plead guilty to refusing a chemical sobriety test. For that offense, he will lose his driver’s license for 6 months, and be required to pay about $950 in fines and court costs.
After his arrest on May 4 following a hit-and-run accident, Bishop McManus issued a public statement admitting a “terrible error in judgment” and promising to “accept the consequences of my action.” He then entered a not-guilty plea on the drunk-driving charges. He apparently will not face charges for leaving the scene of an accident.

Worcester bishop loses license, pays fines (NBC)
Massachusetts bishop faces charges for drunk driving, leaving accident scene (CWN, 5/14)

Azureknight 773 · May 15, 2013

MKJ said:
Jack Kerouac famously said in Belief and Technique for Modern Prose, Try never get drunk outside yr own house.

Who cares? Afterall, it is safer than being drunk outside your own house premise wherein out there you can get accidents left and right and that ain't cool when either you get either minor injuries, or major injuries or even worse, death. Look, you are now drunk, you have to find a comfortable area for you to lie down. You lock the doors (main house door) and the door of your own room. Go to your own bed and sleep. When you wake up, you have no injuries. OH! Don't forget to have an assistance with another person in case liver or pancreatic problems arise. You need assistance to call for 911 you know.

MKJ · May 16, 2013

Azureknight 773 said:
Who cares? Afterall, it is safer than being drunk outside your own house premise wherein out there you can get accidents left and right and that ain't cool when either you get either minor injuries, or major injuries or even worse, death. Look, you are now drunk, you have to find a comfortable area for you to lie down. You lock the doors (main house door) and the door of your own room. Go to your own bed and sleep. When you wake up, you have no injuries. OH! Don't forget to have an assistance with another person in case liver or pancreatic problems arise. You need assistance to call for 911 you know.

I am not sure what you are arguing about - Jack apparently agreed with you.

benedictaoo · May 17, 2013

Michie said:
He apparently will not face charges for leaving the scene of an accident.

Way to go bishop... and the people he hit, he better hope they're better Christians then him cuz they can sue the diocese... and win. This is why bishops and the like have a much greater responsibility to act right and they can't be let off the hook because they are destroying the Church with their actions.

Tallguy88 · May 17, 2013

benedictaoo said:
Way to go bishop... and the people he hit, he better hope they're better Christians then him cuz they can sue the diocese... and win. This is why bishops and the like have a much greater responsibility to act right and they can't be let off the hook because they are destroying the Church with their actions.

It's very unlikely they can sue the diocese, unless they can prove he was working or on official business for the diocese at the time of the accident. However, they can sue him personally. If you'll notice the charge he pleaded guilty to is one that doesn't tie directly into the accident. So he hasn't given the other driver a whole lot of ammunition to use in a civil trial.

ZaidaBoBaida · May 17, 2013

A lot of courts no longer use the "So help me God" thing.

JimR-OCDS · May 17, 2013

benedictaoo said:
Way to go bishop... and the people he hit, he better hope they're better Christians then him cuz they can sue the diocese... and win. This is why bishops and the like have a much greater responsibility to act right and they can't be let off the hook because they are destroying the Church with their actions.

The driver can only sue the driver, not his employer, which the dioceses is.

The Bishop has insurance.

Also, you can bet the driver he hit is going to sue. He first refused any medical help, claiming he didn't need it. After he found out it was a Bishop that hit him, he ended up at the hospital complaining of a headache and sore neck.

The guy he it, is also a police dispatcher, so he apparently has some connections with the police departments.

Jim

Tallguy88 · May 17, 2013

JimR-OCDS said:
The driver can only sue the driver, not his employer, which the dioceses is.

The Bishop has insurance.

Also, you can bet the driver he hit is going to sue. He first refused any medical help, claiming he didn't need it. After he found out it was a Bishop that hit him, he ended up at the hospital complaining of a headache and sore neck.

The guy he it, is also a police dispatcher, so he apparently has some connections with the police departments.

Jim

Actually, you can sue the employer if the employee hurt you while he was working or doing business for his employer. It's the doctrine of respondeat superior. It means "Let the master respond." and is based on old laws which allow a master to be held liable for the actions of his servant or slave.

However, it doesn't sound like the bishop was working when the accident occurred.

MKJ · May 17, 2013

Tallguy88 said:
Actually, you can sue the employer if the employee hurt you while he was working or doing business for his employer. It's the doctrine of respondeat superior. It means "Let the master respond." and is based on old laws which allow a master to be held liable for the actions of his servant or slave.

However, it doesn't sound like the bishop was working when the accident occurred.

I cant imagine that it would apply in every instance even if he was working. An employer could not be held responsible for every idiot thing an employee might decide to do. I am pretty sure the diocese does not allow its employees to be drunk while driving around.

Vendetta · May 17, 2013

Something tells me the Bishop didn't get drunk by having a little too much of the Sacrament at Mass. Respondeat won't apply. But it is nice having someone here versed in legal matters for situations like this.

JimR-OCDS · May 17, 2013

Tallguy88 said:
Actually, you can sue the employer if the employee hurt you while he was working or doing business for his employer. It's the doctrine of respondeat superior. It means "Let the master respond." and is based on old laws which allow a master to be held liable for the actions of his servant or slave.

However, it doesn't sound like the bishop was working when the accident occurred.

In general it doesn't sound like the Bishop was working, but I'm sure a lawyer could argue that Bishops and priest are on call 24/7, so in fact he's always working.

But then, he was using his own personal car, not a car owned by the dioceses.

Of course now that he'll be without a drivers license for six months, my guess is that he'll have a chauffeur to drive him around.

Jim

benedictaoo · May 17, 2013

He's a bishop 24/7. He never gets off of work... He's not supposed to own anything. He doesn't have an income. Bishop is not a job. So how is he going to pay for damages out his own pocket? It all comes from the faithful who support the Church.

benedictaoo · May 17, 2013

MKJ said:
I cant imagine that it would apply in every instance even if he was working. An employer could not be held responsible for every idiot thing an employee might decide to do. I am pretty sure the diocese does not allow its employees to be drunk while driving around.

In the Untied States, oh yes, if you are in a company vehicle, the company gets sued.

ebia · May 17, 2013

benedictaoo said:
He's a bishop 24/7. He never gets off of work... He's not supposed to own anything. He doesn't have an income. Bishop is not a job. So how is he going to pay for damages out his own pocket? It all comes from the faithful who support the Church.

I thought he did own family property.

Tallguy88 · May 17, 2013

benedictaoo said:
He's a bishop 24/7. He never gets off of work... He's not supposed to own anything. He doesn't have an income. Bishop is not a job. So how is he going to pay for damages out his own pocket? It all comes from the faithful who support the Church.

My understanding is that diocesan priests do receive a modest salary. Seems that would also apply to bishops, though it probably varies by diocese.

But it doesn't matter that he's a bishop 24/7. The question that matters is whether he was doing business for the diocese or acting in an official capacity when the accident occurred. If he was just out partying, then it wouldn't apply.

JimR-OCDS · May 17, 2013

benedictaoo said:
He never gets off of work... He's not supposed to own anything. He doesn't have an income. Bishop is not a job. So how is he going to pay for damages out his own pocket? It all comes from the faithful who support the Church.

Not true.

Bishops, don't take vows of poverty unless they belong to a religious order, like Cardinal O'Malley or Pope Francis.

Bishops, like priest are paid a salary. This Bishop is paid $25,000 per year, but has free room and board.

He has to buy his own car and pay for his own auto insurance.

Diocesan priest can and do own property. They do not take a vow of poverty.

This Bishop, owns the family home in R.I. along with his brothers and sisters. They inherited it from their parents.

Jim

Tallguy88 · May 17, 2013

JimR-OCDS said:
Bishops, like priest are paid a salary. This Bishop is paid $25,000 per year, but has free room and board.

He has to buy his own car and pay for his own auto insurance.

Jim

I'll take that deal.

JimR-OCDS · May 17, 2013

Tallguy88 said:
I'll take that deal.

Yeah, and that's his base salary.

Bishops also get money when they are invited to give a talk or some other functions.

I learned that when my 3rd Order Discalced Carmelite Group invited the local Bishop to our 50th anniversary celebration, that had he accepted, we were suppose to offer him a donation between $75 - $125. Most Bishops will refuse it, but some take it.

Jim

ZaidaBoBaida · May 17, 2013

I thought all priests and nuns belonged to some religious order or another?

MKJ · May 17, 2013

Tallguy88 said:
I'll take that deal.

It is not always as great a deal as you might think. You dont earn any equity on a residence you dont own. I know in a lot of Anglican parishes in urban areas, they no longer have rectories, and that is one of the reasons. they give a housing allowance instead.

Another Bishop Picked Up for Drunk Driving

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