PHILADELPHIA (PA)
The New York Times
By JON HURDLE and ERIK ECKHOLM
Published: June 20, 2012
PHILADELPHIA — In its 12th day of deliberations, the jury in the landmark trial of a Roman Catholic Church official accused of covering up sexual abuses by other priests said Wednesday it was deadlocked on four of the five charges in the trial.
“We the jury are at a hung jury status on all charges except for one,” jurors said in a note that was read aloud by Judge M. Teresa Sarmina of the Court of Common Pleas.
The judge instructed the jury to keep trying to reach unanimous agreement on all five charges, which include two counts of endangering the welfare of children and one of conspiracy against the church official, Msgr. William J. Lynn, and charges of endangerment and attempted rape against a priest, the Rev. James J. Brennan.
Monsignor Lynn, 61, served as secretary for clergy for the 1.5 million-member Archdiocese of Philadelphia from 1992 to 2004, in charge of assigning jobs for priests and investigating charges of sexual abuse. Prosecutors said he had repeatedly played down credible accusations reports of abuse, lied to inquiring parents and parish officials about predatory priests, and reassigned them to unwary parishes.
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