PHILADELPHIA (PA)
Philadelphia Inquirer
By John P. Martin
Inquirer Staff Writer
The Archdiocese of Philadelphia on Friday suspended its top lawyer, less than two weeks before a trial that could shine a spotlight on the role he and other church lawyers played in the handling of decades of child-sex-abuse allegations.
In an e-mail to employees and pastors, archdiocesan officials said general counsel Timothy R. Coyne was placed on administrative leave but did not say why.
Coyne could not be reached late Friday. Representatives for Archbishop Charles J. Chaput declined to comment.
“This is a personnel issue, and we won’t be discussing it publicly,” spokesman Kenneth Gavin said.
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