PHILADELPHIA (PA)
Philadelphia Priest Abuse Trial Blog
Ralph Cipriano
Lost in all the hoopla over the “historic” conviction of Msgr. William J. Lynn was the jury’s repudiation of the prosecution’s central allegation in the priest abuse case: that Lynn had somehow conspired with predator priests to keep them in ministry, so they could abuse new victims.
The prosecution’s conspiracy theory was that Lynn got up every day and said in effect, what can I do to keep pedophile priests in ministry, so they can continue to rape, molest and abuse more innocent children.
On Monday, the jury foreman in the case went on Fox 29 and said that not only did he and other jurors not believe the prosecutors’ theory, but also that they didn’t understand it. It would be comical, except that the Commonwealth just spent millions of dollars and eight weeks of trial trying to convince the jury that Bill Lynn the quintessential company man was the alleged mastermind of the conspiracy down at the archdiocese to endanger children.
The jury found Lynn not guilty of conspiring with Father Edward V. Avery, or anyone else, to endanger the welfare of children.
On Monday morning, jury foreman Isa Logan went on Fox 29’s Good Day and told anchors Mike Jerrick and Karen Hepp that he didn’t buy the prosecution’s conspiracy theory, and neither did anyone else on the jury.
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