Pa. monsignor surrenders passport, awaits release

PHILADELPHIA (PA)
Bellingham Herald

BY MARYCLAIRE DALE
Associated Press
December 31, 2013

PHILADELPHIA — Lawyers for a Roman Catholic church official have surrendered his passport as they try to get him out of prison on bail after 18 months.

Monsignor William Lynn’s bail was set at $250,000 after a Pennsylvania appeals court overturned his conviction in a clergy sex-abuse scandal.

Lynn is the first U.S. church official ever convicted for his handling of abuse claims. But an appeals court now says the child-endangerment felony didn’t apply to him.

Officials at the state prison in Waymart, in northeastern Pennsylvania, are awaiting word on when Lynn can be released.

Defense lawyer Thomas Bergstrom says he is trying to set up the electronic monitoring ordered by the trial judge.

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