LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / February 2, 2000

NORCO – Trial for Brian Matherne on 24 counts of child molestation is still set for Feb. 22 at 9 a.m. before 29th Judicial District Judge Robert Chaisson.Prosecutor Kim McElwee said there is nothing remaining which could further delay the long-awaited trial.

“People have been living with this long enough,” McElwee said Monday.

The 29th Judicial District Attorney’s office is also filing a motion of intent to use testimony of other alleged victims now too old to have been included in the earlier indictment against Matherne.

McElwee added the prosecution cannot ask for indictments when the victims are age 28 or up in these sort of cases, as the law allows the victims 10 years in which to come forward after they reach the age of 17.

McElwee said the testimony would be used to show evidence of a long trend of offenses over many years.

Matherne was originally charged with more than 300 counts of various sexual offenses, McElwee added, but the district attorney’s office did not push for indictment because appellate courts have ruled “you can’t charge on that many counts” unless the prosecution is able to be more specific as to dates.

Besides that testimony, McElwee and co-prosecutor Howat Peters will call to the stand 13 former students of Matherne, who was a teacher and coach at Sacred Heart School in Norco.

The incidents for which Matherne will be tried allegedly took place between June 1985 and June 1999, involving boys who ranged in age from 8 to 17. Hewas arrested Aug. 5, 1999, after his suspension from duties by the school.

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