Pennsylvania Supreme Court affirms order for new trial in Msgr. Lynn case

PENNSYLVANIA
PhillyVoice

BY JERRY GAUL
PhillyVoice Staff

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has denied an appeal to again reinstate the conviction of Monsignor William J. Lynn.

State justices issued an order on Tuesday that affirmed the ruling by state Superior Court judges in December that overturned the conviction of the first Roman Catholic church official in the United States to be charged with child endangerment and ordered a new trial.

Lynn was serving a 3- to 6-year sentence in a Northeast Pennsylvania prison.

However, Lynn could be released as early as Wednesday, according to BigTrial.net.

“It’s been a long time coming,” Thomas A. Bergstrom, Lynn’s lawyer, told the legal blog. “We’ll file a bail motion first thing in the morning.”

Last December, a panel of state Superior Court judges ruled that the trial court had “abused its discretion” when admitting evidence against Lynn.

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