Grand Jury Subpoenas Law, Others

By Fred Bayles
USA Today
December 13, 2002

Boston - Cardinal Bernard Law and five high-ranking bishops have been subpoenaed to testify before a grand jury investigating what Massachusetts' attorney general called a "coverup" of the sexual abuse of children by priests in the Boston Archdiocese.

"There was an elaborate scheme to keep it (reports of abuse) away from law enforcement and to keep it quiet," Attorney General Thomas Reilly said Thursday, after a source close to the investigation confirmed the subpoenas.

News of the grand jury action came amid growing speculation that Law may offer to resign as Boston's archbishop. Several reports out of the Vatican suggested Law may take the step when he meets Pope John Paul II today.
The cardinal left abruptly for Rome over the weekend, meeting with Vatican officials over the past week on issues that are believed to include the possibility that the Boston Archdiocese could file for bankruptcy protection from 450 lawsuits by the alleged victims of sexual abuse.

Vatican officials say they expect to issue a statement on the crisis in Boston some time today. Boston Archdiocese officials did not immediately respond to calls.

Law has said he sought counsel from Vatican officials in April about resigning, but decided that by staying on as archbishop, he could help institute needed changes. But last week, more documents were released that showed he allowed priests accused of sexual abuse to stay in active ministry during the 1990s.

The grand jury subpoenas went out last week to Law and five bishops who worked in the Boston Archdiocese over the past two decades. They include Bishop Thomas Daily of Brooklyn; Bishop John McCormack of Manchester, N.H.; Archbishop Alfred Hughes of New Orleans; Bishop Robert Banks of Green Bay, Wis.; and Bishop William Murphy of Rockville Centre, N.Y.

Law's subpoena was delivered to his residence on Friday. On Thursday, Reilly criticized the lack of cooperation from church officials in providing records.

"Things are missing, and things are delayed," he said.

Reilly said it was unclear if criminal charges could be brought.

"It is very difficult under the current laws of the state to hold a supervisor accountable for actions of others," he said.

But Kurt Schwartz, chief of Reilly's criminal bureau, said supervisors and managers couldbe charged as accessories after the fact if it were determined they had knowledge of crime and had not come forward.

Law's attorney, J. Owen Todd, said he does not believe the cardinal is a target but simply a witness called to testify.

"I think they'll find that what has taken place and has been disclosed and discussed at great length in the civil depositions does not constitute any crime in Massachusetts," Todd said.

At least a dozen state and local grand juries have been called to investigate charges against other U.S. dioceses.

"This is not unique to Massachusetts," Reilly said.

[Photo Captions: Brian Snyder, Reuters; Color, Reuters (page 1A); 'Scheme': Massachusetts Attorney General Thomas Reilly discusses on Thursday in Boston the investigation into an alleged scheme by church officials to hide sex abuse.<>Law: In Boston in June. He's currently in Rome.]