MISSOURI
The Kansas City Star
By MARK MORRIS
The Kansas City Star
A Jackson County judge said Tuesday that he would rule by the end of next week on whether to dismiss charges against Bishop Robert Finn and the Catholic diocese Finn leads.
Judge John Torrence made the announcement after hearing about two hours of arguments from prosecutors and defense lawyers.
“This is an unusual set of circumstances,” Torrence said. “The waters are difficult to navigate.”
The misdemeanor charges allege that Finn and the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph failed for five months to report suspected child abuse related to the Rev. Shawn Ratigan, a priest now facing federal child pornography charges.
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