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	Susan Brock Molestation Case: LDS Bishops Won't Be Charged By Laurie Merrill and Yvonne Sanchez Wingett Arizona Republic May 19, 2011 http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2011/05/19/20110519susan-brock-molestation-case-lds-bishops-no-charges.html Two bishops from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints will not be charged in connection with the molestation case of Susan Brock, 49, even though they knew the county supervisor's wife had committed sex acts on a minor, prosecutors said Thursday. The Pinal County Attorney's Office told The Arizona Republic that after a review of the case, no charges will be sought, said Kostas Kalaitzidis, a county spokesman. In a related development, a plea-bargain appears to be in the works for Rachel Brock, 22, who is charged with eight child abuse counts for allegedly abusing the same boy her mother molested. A conference is scheduled June 8 "to conduct a settlement conference in this matter," according to court papers. According to court records and Pinal County Deputy Attorney Jason Holmberg's arguments in court, Susan Brock, who is serving a 13-year sentence for molesting the victim, admitted to LDS Bishop Matthew Meyers on Oct. 9 or Oct. 10, 2010, that she had committed sex acts on the teen. Meyers is the bishop of the Brock's ward. Brock confided she had performed just two acts. Brock was initially accused of committing dozens of sex acts on the boy over three years. The abuse started when he was 14 and she was 45. On Oct. 12 or 13, Meyers told Bishop Troy Hansen, the bishop of the victim's ward, that Brock had admitted to sexually abusing the boy, Holmberg said during Brock's pre-sentence hearing. On Oct. 19, the boy and his father met with Hansen, and the boy disclosed the full extent of the abuse. Hansen, Holmberg said, learned the abuse was far worse than Susan had described. Neither bishop, Holmberg said, went to police. On Oct. 22, "tired of waiting," the father and the victim went to the Chandler police, Holmberg said. Susan Brock was arrested. Her husband, Maricopa County Supervisor Fulton Brock, filed for a divorce weeks later. The Mormon church has said from the beginning the bishops acted properly. "Arizona law is clear that no priest can disclose any confession even when it concerns child abuse," Kim Farrah, church spokeswoman, said in a statement. "Nevertheless, Church leaders worked effectively within the law, and with those involved, to facilitate prompt reporting to the police while protecting the victim." Clergy are required to report abuse under state law, but they have more discretion than other mandatory reporters such as teachers or doctors, according to the statute. The Arizona statute on reporting crimes says clergy "may withhold" information, even child abuse, learned during a confession. It was not a confession when the father and the boy told Hansen about the abuse. The church has stated that it urged the boy to tell police, but there is no evidence to support that claim. The former stake president, Mitchell Jones, knew that the victim's parents suspected child abuse at least a year before the arrest. He had the option to interview the boy, but chose not to. Meanwhile, Rachel Brock, held without bond, has a settlement conference in two weeks that could result in a plea bargain, according to court papers. Rachel is formally charged with seven counts of sexual conduct with a minor for allegedly committing sex acts over a two-year period. She is also charged with one count of furnishing obscene materials to a minor. During the pre-sentence hearing, Holmberg said Rachel performed 45 non-intercourse sex acts and sent 25 pictures and videos, while the boy "was still in junior high school." Rachel was 17 and the boy 13 when she performed a first sex act on him during a family trip to California, police said. Susan began molesting the boy the following fall, police say. Susan said in a letter that Rachel had confided to her about the sex acts, Holmberg said.
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