DA Unlikely to Charge LA Church Officials in Priest Abuse Cases What Do You Think, Los Angeles Times, June 3, 2010

D.A. Unlikely to Charge L.A. Church Officials in Priest Abuse Cases. What Do You Think?

Los Angeles Times
June 3, 2010

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/06/da-unlikely-to-charge-la-church-officials-in-priest-abuse-caes-what-do-you-think.html

It's looking increasingly unlikely that the Los Angeles County district attorney's office will file criminal charges against top L.A. Catholic church officials over their handling of sex-abuse allegations.

In its eight-year investigation of sexual abuse by clergymen, Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley's office has found information suggesting possible "criminal culpability" by leaders of the Los Angeles Catholic Archdiocese but lacks enough evidence to bring charges, according to a memorandum released Tuesday.

The document, written by the prosecutor who heads the investigation, William Hodgman, says statutes of limitations make the "prospect of developing any criminal case" against archdiocese officials "more and more remote with each passing day."

Archdiocese spokesman Tod Tamberg said in an e-mail that "any suggestion of criminal conduct is totally false and without factual basis."

But some advocates of sex-abuse victims were disappointed. "Cooley should have done more," said David Clohessy, national director of Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests.

Federal authorities have launched a separate conspiracy investigation of the archdiocese, according to officials who have spoken anonymously because of grand jury secrecy rules.