PHILADELPHIA (PA)
The Republic
By GEOFF MULVIHILL Associated Press
January 06, 2014
PHILADELPHIA — A judge on Monday told a Roman Catholic church official that she already has signed an arrest warrant that she would issue if he violates the term of his release on electronic monitoring following the reversal of his conviction in the priest sex-abuse scandal.
Common Pleas Judge M. Teresa Sarmina also told 63-year-old Monsignor William Lynn to report to a probation officer weekly.
Monday’s brief court hearing was the first public appearance for Lynn since he was released from prison on Friday after serving 18 months of a three- to six-year prison term for felony child endangerment.
The pre-signed arrest warrant is standard for defendants released on bail.
Several supporters were there to see the priest, who lost 80 pounds during his time in prison.
Lynn was the first U.S. church official ever convicted in the handling of abuse complaints. But a state appeals court ruled Dec. 26 that the state’s child-endangerment law in the late 1990s did not apply to supervisors like Lynn.
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