LOS ANGELES (CA)
KTLA
Los Angeles Police Department detectives who specialize in child sexual abuse cases have begun examining a trove of newly disclosed priest abuse files to determine whether there are cases that can be prosecuted.
Capt. Fabian Lizarraga said detectives “are currently reviewing the [files], to see exactly what we have…. Then we’ll have to see what, if any, laws apply and if they’re within statute,” he said.
Detectives are limited by a law that only allows the prosecution of incidents since 1988. Many of the files appear to pre-date that year.
Lizarraga said the LAPD will be focusing specifically Los Angeles-based priests.
The LAPD decided to launch the review after the Los Angeles Roman Catholic Archdiocese last week posted on its website tens of thousands of pages of previously secret personnel files for 122 priests accused of molesting children.
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