Prosecutors Investigating Claim against Wv Bishop, Article Says

By Ben Adducchio
West Virginia Public Broadcasting
July 10, 2012

http://www.wvpubcast.org/newsarticle.aspx?id=25778

[with audio]

According to an article in the Philadelphia Inquirer newspaper, prosecutors in Pennsylvania are investigating a claim made against the Catholic bishop of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, Michael Bransfield.

According to the newspaper, prosecutors in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, are reviewing a complaint that Bransfield allegedly fondled a high school student in the 1970s.

Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston spokesman Bryan Minor released a saying the diocese’s stance is that this is old news, and appears to be further reference by the newspaper to information released during this year’s clergy sexual abuse trial in Philadelphia.

In the statement, Minor says these allegations are not new and that – quote -“In April, Bishop Bransfield released a statement responding to all allegations, and he stands today by that response.”

During the trial, testimony mentioned Bransfield as allegedly having knowledge of abuse of minors by priests.

A previous Philadelphia Inquirer newspaper article also mentioned another allegation that Bransfield allegedly fondled a child.

Bransfield has denied sexually abusing anyone.