Pa. Supreme Court lets stand ruling that priest’s trial was tainted

Last updated on: July 28, 2016 at 12:01 pm by CNA Daily News

Pa. Supreme Court lets stand ruling that priest’s trial was tainted 2016-07-28T12:01:00+00:00 CNA Daily News

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Philadelphia, Pa., Jul 28, 2016 / 06:01 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The Pennsylvania Supreme Court let stand July 26 a ruling that prosecutors in a Philadelphia priest’s trial used prejudicial evidence related to clergy sex abuse.

Philadelphia’s district attorney must now decide whether to re-try Monsignor William J. Lynn.

The priest was not accused of sexually abusing children. However, he was convicted on one felony count of child endangerment for failing to protect children from an abusive priest, and was sentenced to three to six years in prison.

Msgr. Lynn, now 65 years old, had served as the Philadelphia archdiocese’s Secretary for Clergy from 1992 to 2004. As such, he was responsible for investigating priests accused of abuse.

He was the first Catholic official convicted for a supervisory role over priests accused of abusing children.

That trial could be revisited, or the priest could be released for good.

In December 2015 the Superior Court had ordered a new trial for Msgr. Lynn. It agreed with his lawyers that the prosecutors had wrongly tainted the judgement of the jury by using historical evidence of the Church’s handling of sex abuse, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. Some of the two dozen case histories dated to the 1940s.

In the priest’s 2012 trial, prosecutors used the history in an effort to show the priest was part of a dominant culture in the archdiocese. The judge at the trial allowed it as background on the grounds that jurors could understand the context and the culture in which Msgr. Lynn was operating.

The priest’s lawyers said the evidence was prejudicial and inflammatory and drove the jury toward a guilty verdict.

The charge against Msgr. Lynn stemmed from his response to the case of Edward Avery, a now-laicized priest serving a jail sentence for abusing an altar boy during the 1990s. Prosecutors said Msgr. Lynn had reassigned Avery to live near a church school, despite having substantiated a claim of abuse against the priest. After reassignment, Avery sexually assaulted a 10-year-old boy in 1999.

Philadelphia district attorney Seth Williams had appealed the December 2015 decision that ordered a new trial for Msgr. Lynn.

The district attorney must decide whether to hold another trial for the priest, who has served half his sentence.

He will be paroled Oct. 16. Pennsylvania inmates are typically eligible for parole after they serve their minimum sentence. His attorney has sought bail of $250,000.

Previous Post

July 28, 2016

The humble speak for God, Pope says at Czestochowa

Next Post

July 28, 2016 Don't waste your life seeking 'empty thrills', Pope tells youth

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Americas Asia - Pacific Europe Middle East - Africa Uncategorized US Vatican

Select a Month November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What sea did Jesus walk on?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Mediterranean Sea Red Sea Sea of Galilee Dead Sea