PHILADELPHIA (PA)
My Fox Philly
Kristen Byrne, Blogger
MyFoxPhilly.com
Blogger Kristen Byrne is in the courtroom at the Philadelphia Archdiocese priest-abuse trial. Here is a recap of events so far.
A landmark priest-abuse trial began last week. Prosecutors say the Philadelphia Archdiocese made efforts to cover-up victim complaints. The Archdiocese has been under scrutiny with a history of sex abuse while victims’ accusations were allegedly filed in the secret archives.
Monsignor William Lynn is the first church official in the U.S. to be charged with conspiracy of endangering the welfare of children for allegedly burying allegations of molestation by members in the priesthood, and refusing to remove accused priests from the ministry.
In the Philadelphia prosecutor’s opening statement they said Lynn, as the Secretary of Clergy, was “in charge with investigating crimes on children committed by priests … (but) Lynn kept things in the dark.”
During Lynn’s 1992 to 2004 reign as Secretary, he oversaw about 800 priests in the Philadelphia Archdiocese. His attorneys said Lynn composed a list of 37 accused priests, only to have it shredded by the late Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua. According to the defense, Lynn “did his damnedest.”
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