Lawyers Spar over Archdiocese’s Secret Archive Files

PHILADELPHIA (PA)
Philadelphia Priest Abuse Trial Blog

Ralph Cipriano

What do you do when the prosecution is using hardened police detectives to enter a pile of the archdiocese’s secret archive files into evidence against your client?

Jeff Lindy, representing Monsignor William J. Lynn, went through those same files on Monday, trying to point out whatever positive things they had to say about his client.

Lindy asked Detective Joseph Walsh about the files involving Father Michael Murtha. He’s the priest who was discovered to have a large gay porno collection in his bedroom at the rectory, as well as a love letter that he wrote to a seventh-grader named Drew.

Referring to the priest’s literary efforts as “that awful letter,” Lindy said isn’t it true that the priest admitted the letter was a fantasy, and that there was no allegation that the priest had ever touched the boy, or anybody else for that matter.

“That is correct,” Detective Walsh said.

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