Attorney general writes to Pope Francis, seeks intervention on release of grand jury child sex abuse report

JOHNSTOWN (PA)
Tribune-Democrat

July 27, 2018

By Dave Sutor

http://www.tribdem.com/news/read-the-letter-attorney-general-writes-to-pope-francis-seeks/article_33a12d24-9118-11e8-9381-537ef72c8396.html

Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro has appealed to the highest level of the Catholic Church in his attempt to get the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania to allow the release of an almost 900-page grand jury report that is believed to contain details about years of clergy sexual abuse and cover-up within six of the commonwealth’s dioceses.

Shapiro’s office prepared a letter to the Vatican after conducting interviews and research into the Allentown, Scranton, Erie, Pittsburgh, Greensburg and Harrisburg dioceses in a proceeding overseen by Cambria County President Judge Norman Krumenacker III.

Officials in the dioceses have publicly supported its release.

However, in June, the high court stopped the report’s release after “many individuals” mentioned in the document raised concerns about possible damage to their reputations if the findings become public.

On Wednesday, Shapiro sent a letter to Pope Francis in which he wrote: “Credible reports indicate that at least two leaders of the Catholic Church in Pennsylvania – while not directly challenging the release of this report in court – are behind these efforts to silence the victims and avoid accountability.”

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