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Former priest Lawrence Hecker pleads not guilty, bond set

Former priest charged with rape, kidnapping, crimes against nature

Former priest Lawrence Hecker pleads not guilty, bond set

Former priest charged with rape, kidnapping, crimes against nature

THIS IS WDSU NEWS AT TEN. I FEEL ELATED AND I FEEL THAT WE’RE GOING TO HAVE ALL DAY NOT ONLY IN COURT, BUT THE JUDGE, ANY JUDGE THAT HOLDS THESE DOCUMENTS IS DOING THE MISJUSTICE TO ANY VICTIM AND SURVIVOR OF CLERGY ABUSE. ELATED. THAT’S HOW AN ALLEGED VICTIM OF LAWRENCE HECKER FEELS ABOUT THE FORMER PRIEST INDICTMENT. IN A SEPARATE CASE. THAT SURVIVOR IS NOT PART OF THE CASE TODAY, BUT THEY SAY THAT FEELING IS SHARED AMONG ALL SURVIVORS OF CLERGY ABUSE. AND TODAY, A GRAND JURY INDICTED HECKER ON MULTIPLE CHARGES STEMMING FROM ALLEGATIONS OF SEXUAL ABUSE IN THE 70S. HE WORKED AT MULTIPLE CHURCHES ACROSS SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA THROUGHOUT HIS TENURE AS A PRIEST. WDSU INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER AUBRY KILLION HAS BEEN COVERING THIS STORY FROM THE VERY BEGINNING. GOD, I WANT HIM TO DIE. BEFORE WE GET A CHANCE TO PROSECUTE HIM. NEW ORLEANS DISTRICT ATTORNEY JASON WILLIAMS ANNOUNCING THE HISTORIC INDICTMENT OF FORMER NEW ORLEANS PRIEST AND ACCUSED CHILD MOLESTER LAWRENCE HECKER. HISTORICALLY, THESE MATTERS HAVE GONE UNINVESTIGATED OR REACHED MULTIPLE DEAD ENDS DUE TO THE CONE OF SILENCE AND PROTECTION TOO OFTEN AFFORDED TO THOSE WHO WERE WRONGLY PLACED IN POSITIONS OF TRUST AND CONFIDENCE. STATE PROSECUTORS CHARGING HECKER WITH AGGRAVATED RAPE, AGGRAVATED KIDNAPING OR AGGRAVATED CRIME AGAINST NATURE AND THEFT. JUSTICE HAS BEEN DELAYED AND DENIED TO THE VICTIMS OF LAWRENCE HECKER FOR FOUR DECADES. HE WAS HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT. HE WAS MOVED FROM ASSIGNMENT TO ASSIGNMENT, AND HE WAS PUT IN CONTACT WITH UNWITTING VICTIMS OVER AND OVER AGAIN. THERE’S GOOD AND BAD IN EVERYBODY. I TRACKED HECKER DOWN THIS PAST JUNE. HAVE YOU EVER TOUCHED A CHILD? OH, MY GOODNESS. YOU MEAN TOUCHED THE CHILD? HAVE YOU EVER PHYSICALLY OR SEXUALLY ASSAULTED A CHILD. IT’S A IT’S A YES, YES OR NO QUESTION, SIR. I’M AFRAID I’M SOME TRICK INVOLVED OR SOMETHING. SO I. I JUST DON’T WANT TO GET INVOLVED WITH ALL THIS. SO HAVE YOU EVER IN YOUR LIFE AS A FORMER PRIEST TOUCHED A CHILD. NO COMMENT. WE’VE ALSO CONTINUED TO PRESS THE ARCHDIOCESE FOR ANSWERS. DO YOU BELIEVE HECKER SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN JAIL? I MASS THIS EVENING. HEY. OKAY. AND JASON WILLIAMS MAKING IT CLEAR THE HECKER SHOULD HAVE ALREADY BEEN PROSECUTED. I KNOW THAT THESE SURVIVORS. OWE THE PRESS A GREAT DEAL OF THANKS FOR FOR KEEPING THIS FIRE BURNING WHEN A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO PUT IT OUT. DO YOU FEEL THE WILLIAMS HAD THE ARCHDIOCESE COULD HAVE DONE MORE? I THINK A WHOLE LOT OF ADULTS SHOULD HAVE DONE A WHOLE LOT MORE TO PROTECT CHILDREN FROM LAWRENCE HECKER FOR WDSU INVESTIGATES AUBRY KILLION, WDSU NEWS AUBRY, THANK YOU. THE ARCHDIOCESE OF NEW ORLEANS SAYS THEY, QUOTE, REPORTED LAWRENCE HECKER TO LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITIES IN DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS MULTIPLE TIMES SINCE 2002. WE HAVE FULLY COOPERATED AND WILL CONTINUE TO COOPERATE WITH ANY LAW ENFORCEMENT INVESTIGATION INTO LAWRENCE HECKER AND, END QUOTE, TO READ THE FULL STATEMENT AND OUR EXTE
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Former priest Lawrence Hecker pleads not guilty, bond set

Former priest charged with rape, kidnapping, crimes against nature

Retired Catholic priest Lawrence Hecker has entered a not guilty plea in court Wednesday morning. His bond was set at more than $800,000.Previous ReportingRetired Catholic priest Lawrence Hecker turned himself into the NOPD this morning.He was transported to the Orleans Parish Justice Center and booked on charges of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated rape, aggravated crimes against nature, and theft.Hecker was indicted by an Orleans Parish grand jury Thursday. Hecker, who's 91 years old is a retired priest, is accused of being a serial child molester.Survivors are demanding answers and closure, while the bankrupt Archdiocese of New Orleans says they are cooperating with law enforcement. WDSU spoke with Archbishop Gregory Aymond Wednesday briefly as he was entering a mass last month.Aymond from a distance said he reported to law enforcement and did not take any additional questions.WDSU asked to interview Aymond after mass and has not heard back."I see that face looking up at me when he is going through my genitals at the time,” one of Hecker's accusers said.The survivor alleges Hecker molested him in the 1960s when he was a child. He responded to the moment WDSU Investigates tracked Hecker down."There is good and bad in everybody,” Hecker said.WDSU asked Hecker if he'd ever touched a child.“Oh my goodness, you mean touch a child?” Hecker said.WDSU also asked him, "Have you ever physically or sexually assaulted a child?"“I am afraid there's some trick or something. I just don't want to get involved with all this,” Hecker said.WDSU also asked, "Have you ever in your life as a former priest touched a child?"“No comment,” Hecker said.Hecker’s accuser showed anger and frustration while watching the interview.“The problem is he doesn't know how to answer you to make himself look innocent,” Hecker's accuser said.The Archdiocese released this statement:“The Archdiocese of New Orleans reported Lawrence Hecker to law enforcement authorities in different jurisdictions multiples times since 2002. We have fully cooperated and will continue to cooperate with any law enforcement investigation into Lawrence Hecker.”The legal team representing one of Hecker's alleged victims sent out this statement:“Our client is grateful to the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s office because after nearly fifty years of living the horror inflicted on him by then Father Lawrence Hecker, someone with authority finally listened. Our client was first interviewed by the FBI in June of 2022. Then the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s office took the case in 2023. Our client would like to thank the Louisiana State Police for its investigation into this matter and the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s office for finally indicting this serial child rapist. Lawrence Hecker got away with grotesque sexual felonies against children for many decades under the protection of the Archdiocese of New Orleans. Our client and several other Hecker victims whom we represent believe that he should spend the rest of his life in prison where he should have been for at least the last sixty years. This indictment is a victory for all victim-survivors of clergy sexual abuse.” This is a developing story, stay with WDSU for the latest.

Retired Catholic priest Lawrence Hecker has entered a not guilty plea in court Wednesday morning. His bond was set at more than $800,000.

Previous Reporting

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Retired Catholic priest Lawrence Hecker turned himself into the NOPD this morning.

He was transported to the Orleans Parish Justice Center and booked on charges of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated rape, aggravated crimes against nature, and theft.

Hecker was indicted by an Orleans Parish grand jury Thursday.

Hecker, who's 91 years old is a retired priest, is accused of being a serial child molester.

Survivors are demanding answers and closure, while the bankrupt Archdiocese of New Orleans says they are cooperating with law enforcement.

WDSU spoke with Archbishop Gregory Aymond Wednesday briefly as he was entering a mass last month.

Aymond from a distance said he reported to law enforcement and did not take any additional questions.

WDSU asked to interview Aymond after mass and has not heard back.

"I see that face looking up at me when he is going through my genitals at the time,” one of Hecker's accusers said.

The survivor alleges Hecker molested him in the 1960s when he was a child. He responded to the moment WDSU Investigates tracked Hecker down.

"There is good and bad in everybody,” Hecker said.

WDSU asked Hecker if he'd ever touched a child.

“Oh my goodness, you mean touch a child?” Hecker said.

WDSU also asked him, "Have you ever physically or sexually assaulted a child?"

“I am afraid there's some trick or something. I just don't want to get involved with all this,” Hecker said.

WDSU also asked, "Have you ever in your life as a former priest touched a child?"

“No comment,” Hecker said.

Hecker’s accuser showed anger and frustration while watching the interview.

“The problem is he doesn't know how to answer you to make himself look innocent,” Hecker's accuser said.

The Archdiocese released this statement:

“The Archdiocese of New Orleans reported Lawrence Hecker to law enforcement authorities in different jurisdictions multiples times since 2002. We have fully cooperated and will continue to cooperate with any law enforcement investigation into Lawrence Hecker.”

The legal team representing one of Hecker's alleged victims sent out this statement:

“Our client is grateful to the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s office because after nearly fifty years of living the horror inflicted on him by then Father Lawrence Hecker, someone with authority finally listened. Our client was first interviewed by the FBI in June of 2022. Then the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s office took the case in 2023. Our client would like to thank the Louisiana State Police for its investigation into this matter and the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s office for finally indicting this serial child rapist. Lawrence Hecker got away with grotesque sexual felonies against children for many decades under the protection of the Archdiocese of New Orleans. Our client and several other Hecker victims whom we represent believe that he should spend the rest of his life in prison where he should have been for at least the last sixty years. This indictment is a victory for all victim-survivors of clergy sexual abuse.”

This is a developing story, stay with WDSU for the latest.