Prosecutors Seeks New Charge against Local Diocese and Bishop

By Micheal Clements
St. Joseph Post
May 8, 2012

http://www.stjosephpost.com/2012/05/08/new-charge-sought-against-kc-bishop-diocese/

Bishop Finn

Prosecutors are asking to add a second misdemeanor charge against Bishop Robert Finn and the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City – St Joseph.

Prosecutors at the Jackson County Prosecutors office announced this week that the office had filed a motion to a charge of failure to report suspicious child abuse.

The bishop and diocese already face one count of that charge over the way they managed the Rev. Shawn Ratigan, who is facing child pornography charges.

Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker said in a news release that the original charge covered events from December 2010 to May 2011. The new charge splits that span into two separate time frames. Baker says that is the best approach going into the trial.

Both Finn and the diocese have denied any wrongdoing.