Pennsylvania court reinstates conviction of Catholic clergyman in abuse case

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

US | Mon Apr 27, 2015 7:03pm EDT

Pennsylvania court reinstates conviction of Catholic clergyman in abuse case

PHILADELPHIA | BY NATALIE POMPILIO

(Reuters) - Pennsylvania's highest court on Monday reinstated the conviction of the first U.S. Catholic church official sent to prison for mishandling sexual misconduct complaints against priests.

In August 2012, a Philadelphia jury found Monsignor William Lynn, 64, guilty of one count of child endangerment for failing to supervise a pedophile priest who eventually sexually assaulted a 10-year-old altar boy in 1999.

That conviction was overturned by the state’s Superior Court in December 2013.

Monday’s ruling by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court upholds the original August 2012 judgment.

The high court said Lynn “as a high ranking official in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, was specifically responsible for protecting children from sexually abusive priests.”

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/04/27/us-usa-church-sexabuse-idUSKBN0NI2CZ20150427

[cbayer]

1. Good. I hope this sets a precedent which will lead to the conviction of others

who were complicit.