PENNSYLVANIA
Daily Item
By John Finnerty CNHI Harrisburg Bureau
HARRISBURG — The attorney general wants to lift limits on when charges can be filed in cases of sex crimes committed against children, in light of revelations of abuse involving dozens of priests in western Pennsylvania over decades.
Attorney General Kathleen Kane called on lawmakers to abolish the statute of limitations while detailing allegations that two bishops in the Roman Catholic Dioceses of Altoona-Johnstown had concealed the abuse of children by 35 priests over four decades.
Kane said her office has no plans to charge anyone based on the findings by a special grand jury, in part because of statutes of limitations.
Some victims are unwilling to testify in court, and some accused priests are dead, she said.
Victims now have until the age 50 to report child sex abuse to prosecutors. Until age 30, victims may file civil lawsuits against their abusers and others who may be responsible for allowing the abuse to happen.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.