Judge rejects dismissal in child sex cover-up case against cleric

PHILADELPHIA (PA)
CNN

From Sarah Hoye, CNN

updated 1:53 PM EST, Mon February 27, 2012

Philadelphia (CNN) — A judge on Monday rejected a motion to dismiss charges against a Philadelphia archdiocese official accused of covering up evidence of suspected sexual abuse of children.

Attorneys for Monsignor William Lynn had asked a judge to throw out charges against him based on a March 1994 memo showing Philadelphia’s archbishop at the time, Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua, ordered the destruction of a secret list naming 35 Catholic priests suspected of abuse.

The defense said the memo, composed by Lynn’s then-supervisor, Monsignor James Molloy, proved that Lynn informed his superiors — including the archbishop — that priests in the archdiocese were assaulting children.

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