to bring them in to talk to the D.A. They are going to provide compelling testimony." As evidence evidence of the church's church's willingnes s to be transparent, he pointed to the hiring of several former former pros ecutors to run internal investigations investigations into the sex-abuse sex-abuse s candal. Most Most promi nent among them is Gina Maisto-Smith, who is reviewing reviewing allegations agains t 27 priests priests s uspe nded this year. year. "At "At this this point, the the archdiocese has become an alumni ass ociation for former former as sis tant district district attorney attorneys," s," he sai d. But Welsh's Welsh's representation of at least four employees who se testimony could hurt the the church and its leaders poses a clear conflict conflict of interest, as the archdiocese is paying paying his legal bills , Blessin gton maintained. Whatev Whatever er Sarmina decides, it could s ignificantly affect affect the ongoing prosecution of two current priests, a defrocked defrocked priest, and a former s choolteacher on charges that they sexually abus ed young young boys in the 1990 s. A fifth defendant, Msgr. William J. Lynn, is accused of child endangerment and conspiracy for allegedly placing two of the the pries ts in pos itions whe re they could abus e children des pite previous previous accusations of inappropriate behavior. As secretary for clergy until 2004, Lynn Lynn was tasked with investigating sex-abuse allegations agains t priests a nd recommending treatment or new assignments for them. The archdiocese archdiocese is paying paying Lynn's Lynn's legal bill s and s tands to gain if he is acquitted, Bless ington noted. Wednesday's Wednesday's hearing cam e a day after after Comm on Pleas Cou rt Judge Judge Lillian H arris Rans om ruled that Bernard Bernard Shero, the the former s choolteacher charged in the cas e, could be tried separately from from the other four defendants. defendants. Shero is accused of s exually exually assau lting the sam e Northeast Philadelphia altar boy that two two other defendants, the Rev. Rev. Charles Engelhardt and Edward Avery, ery, allegedly abuse d in the late 1990s . His attorney attorney argued, argued, though, that the the former teacher des erved erved a separate trial becaus e he is not charged with participating participating in a broader cons piracy to cover cover up ab use. Shero's Shero's trial is now s et to begin after after the prosecution of the four others. others. Their trial is scheduled for February February..
Contact staff riter Jerem Roebuck at 267-564-5218, jroebuck@phillnes.com jroebuck@phillnes.com,, or @inqmontco on Titter.
Check the bo to include the list of links referenced in the article.
Copyright | Philly Online, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of any of the contents of this service without the express express written written consent consent of Ph il ly Onl ine , LLC is express expressly prohi bite d.