Catholic Abuse Case Going To Jury In Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (PA)
KUHF

May 31, 2012

by: Barbara Bradley Hagerty

In a Philadelphia courtroom Thursday, jurors will hear closing arguments in a historic case involving the Catholic sex abuse scandal. William Lynn, a monsignor in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, is the first high-level church official to be tried for his involvement in covering up child abuse.

In a Philadelphia courtroom, jurors are hearing closing arguments in a historic case involving the Catholic sex abuse scandal. William Lynn, a monsignor in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, is the first high-level church official to be tried for his involvement in covering up child abuse, specifically, conspiracy and children endangerment.

Journalist Ralph Cipriano has listened through every day of testimony, posting the events for the blog Philadelphia Priest Abuse Trial. For most of the 10-week trial, he says, prosecutors put on a powerful case that Lynn, who was in charge of investigating sex abuse claims from 1992 to 2004, protected the priests and the church – not the children.

“A month ago, there was a sense the prosecution was way ahead,” he says, “that the evidence was so stacked against the Monsignor, that all the prosecution had to do is play it safe.”

Then Lynn went on the stand and argued that he did everything within his power to protect children.

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