Conservative Babylon

Backstory & new links after the jump.

We’re delighted we were wrong.

Lynn was convicted of one count of child endangerment (regarding the transfer of confessed molester Edward Avery*) and acquitted on another count of endangerment, and one of conspiracy.

This doesn’t “fix” the Roman Catholic church, or repair any broken lives — but it should make it immensely more difficult for high-ranking priests to justify cover-ups of abuse. We hope.

Read on:

• “Monsignor Convicted for Covering up Abuse Claims,” Maryclaire Dale, AP, June 22, 2012

• “Jury reaches mixed verdict on Philadelphia priest case,” John P. Martin and Joseph A. Slobodzian, Philadelphia Inquirer, June 22, 2012

• “High-Level Catholic Priest Is Convicted,” Steve Eder, Jennifer Levitz and Peter Loftus, Wall Street Journal, June 22, 2012

Backstory:

• “Sex-Abuse-Probe Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua Cheats Justice, Dies One Day After Declared Competent to Testify,” February 3, 2012

• “First of Three Philly Priests Caves in ‘Landmark’ Abuse Case: Edward Avery Pleads Guilty,” March 22, 2012

• “The Hypocrisy Files: Protecting Children or Church?,” May 7, 2012

• “Latest Development in Philly Catholic Church Sex-Abuse Trial: Nothing,” June 17, 2012

• “Philly Priests Trial: Jury Deadlocked on 4 of 5 Counts,” June 21, 2012
 

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* This seems significant. Yesterday, John P. Martin of the Philly Inquirer wrote:

[J]urors may have settled on one of the two charges involving Lynn and Edward Avery, the defrocked priest who admitted sexually assaulting an altar boy in a Northeast Philadelphia church in 1999.

Prosecutors contend that Lynn, as archdiocesan secretary for clergy, conspired with Avery or other church leaders and endangered children by letting Avery remain and celebrate Mass at St. Jerome Church despite knowing he had molested a teen years earlier.

Jurors were never told that Avery pleaded guilty days before the trial to the sex assault and conspiracy. But they may have noticed that he had disappeared from the defense table and figured out the rest.

The other charges are related endangerment counts against Brennan and Lynn, making it unlikely jurors had resolved charges against one but not the other.

Perhaps the jury would have deadlocked on all five counts if it hadn’t become clear Avery was no longer on the defense — which would make it a very lucky break that Avery confessed when he did.

Related posts (automatically generated):

1. Latest Development in Philly Catholic Church Sex-Abuse Trial: Nothing
2. Philly Priests Trial: Jury Deadlocked on 4 of 5 Counts
3. First of Three Philly Priests Caves in “Landmark” Abuse Case: Edward Avery Pleads Guilty
4. The Hypocrisy Files: Protecting Children or Church?
5. Texas Baptist Pastor William Frank Brown Arrested for Child Sexual Abuse

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