Prosecutor Seeks Rehearing in Catholic Church Abuse Case

PHILADELPHIA (PA)
ABC News

By ERRIN HAINES WHACK, ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER
PHILADELPHIA — Dec 28, 2015

Despite losing on appeal twice, Philadelphia’s district attorney said Monday he will continue to fight to keep a Roman Catholic church official who will soon be eligible for parole in prison over his handling of sex-abuse cases.

District Attorney Seth Williams filed an application for the full nine-member state Superior Court to rehear the case against Monsignor William Lynn. Last week, a three-judge panel of the court overturned Lynn’s conviction in a 2-1 decision and awarded him a new trial.

Lynn, 64, was convicted in 2012 of endangering a policeman’s son who said he was sexually assaulted as a boy by two priests and a teacher — including a previously accused priest who had been transferred to the boy’s parish. Lynn has been imprisoned off and on amid a wild legal journey.

He was the first church official ever charged over his handling of abuse complaints.

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