PHILADELPHIA (PA)
AFP
By Daniel Kelley (AFP)
PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania — A Philadelphia monsignor became Friday the highest-ranking US church official to be convicted over a child sex cover-up, as he was was found guilty of endangerment.
Monsignor William Lynn, who served as secretary of the Philadelphia Archdiocese from 1994 to 2001, was acquitted of two other counts — one of conspiracy and a second charge of child endangerment.
Lynn, 61, who took the witness stand for three days during his 10-week trial, is not charged with molesting children, but rather with covering up crimes of priests who did. His sentence is due to be announced on August 13.
The trial, the first in the United States involving a senior official in the Catholic Church, also centered on two other Philadelphia priests. …
“We needed clarity on how to apply the evidence. We needed to learn how to apply the elements of the charges,” jury foreman Isa Logan said. “Every juror wanted justice. We just wanted to do what was right.”
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.