A 93-year-old former priest in New Orleans, Lawrence Hecker, pleaded guilty to charges related to the sexual assault of a teenage boy in 1975. He had been scheduled to stand trial but entered his plea to aggravated kidnapping, aggravated crime against nature, first-degree rape, and theft before Orleans Parish Criminal District Court Judge Nandi Campbell. Sentencing is set for December 18, with Hecker facing the possibility of life in prison.
The trial had faced delays due to concerns about Hecker's mental competency, with a doctor confirming his Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Despite these conditions, he was found competent to stand trial. Hecker had confessed to molesting multiple juveniles during his time with the Archdiocese of New Orleans, leading to his indictment last year.
The charges against Hecker stem from a single alleged incident in 1975-1976, although he had admitted to multiple abuses. The case is part of a broader legal battle involving the release of secret church records shielded by a confidentiality order after the archdiocese filed for bankruptcy protection in 2020. These records reportedly detail a history of abuse claims, clergy interviews, and the transfer of problem priests without reporting crimes to authorities.
The survivor in Hecker's case is one of over 600 individuals who have filed abuse claims against the archdiocese. The Archdiocese of New Orleans expressed hope that the court proceedings would bring healing and peace to the survivor and all victims of sexual abuse, emphasizing their support for all survivors.
