Diocese of Palm Beach Won't Bond Priest out

By Brian Entin
WPTV
January 8, 2015

http://www.wptv.com/news/region-c-palm-beach-county/west-palm-beach/diocese-of-palm-beach-wont-bond-priest-out

[with video]

A spokeswoman with the Diocese of Palm Beach says they will not bond Father Palimattom out of jail.

Palimattom was arrested Monday after investigators say he showed a minor child pornography.

The Diocese of Palm Beach says Palimattom's superiors in India will decide whether or not to bond him out on the $10,000 bond, but the local diocese will not be involved.

Diocese officials say background checks revealed no prior misconduct.

According to probable cause reports, a pastor at the church told investigators Palimattom was told to never have contact with a minor without an adult present and also not to go on Facebook.

"If a priest is restricted from having access to minors without an adult, that suggest there is something in his background that is not safe," Attorney Jeff Herman said.

Herman has been involved in hundreds cases involving sexual misconduct with priests.

"The Pope is saying a lot of the right things, but we're yet to see if action is going to follow through," Herman said.

It's unclear whether other Priests in the diocese were also instructed not to be alone with children.

An initial statement from the Diocese of Palm Beach was released, but follow up questions about rules for priests involving children were not answered by air time Wednesday.