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Defendants to Plead Not Guilty in Church Sex Abuse Case By David O’Reilly Philadelphia Inquirer April 15, 2011 http://www.philly.com/philly/news/119929394.html Lawyers for five defendants accused of sexually assaulting two altar boys or enabling their abuse told a trial administrator Friday their clients would plead not guilty. The pleas are to be made by defrocked priest Edward V. Avery; former parochial school teacher Bernard Sherol and the Revs. James J. Brennan and Charles Engelhardt, all of whom are charged with sexual assault of a minor. Also pleading will be Monsignor William J. Lynn, former secretary for clergy in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia who is charged with endangering the welfare of children by recommending the parish assignments of priests known to have abused minors. Trial administrator Edward Keyser set a date of June 6 for the next hearing. Afterward, the national president of a Roman Catholic reform group called on American bishops to revamp how they handle clergy sex abuse cases in light of problems found in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Dan Bartley, president of the Voice of the Faithful, said at a news conference outside the Criminal Justice Center that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops needs to amend its 2002 Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People to make abuse investigations and victim assistance independent of dioceses. It also should mandate the resignations of bishops and other diocesan leaders who flout the charter, he said. |
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