Trial Set for Local Catholic Bishop Accused of Silence

Fox 4
January 26, 2012

http://fox4kc.com/2012/01/26/trial-set-for-local-catholic-bishop-accused-of-silence/


A September trial date was set Thursday morning in Jackson County Court for Bishop Robert Finn and the Catholic diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph on charges they failed to report suspected child sex abuse to authorities.

The next pre-trial conference is scheduled for March 27 and the trial is scheduled to go forward Sept. 24.

Finn and the diocese pleaded not guilty after a grand jury indicted them for failing to report alleged child pornography involving the Rev. Shawn Ratigan, 46, who faces federal and state charges of child pornography possession, to which he has pleaded not guilty.

Prosecutors say the diocese discovered child pornography on Ratigan’s computer in December but didn’t turn them over to police until May.

Bishop Finn has apologized for mishandling the case.