Philly priest-abuse case back in court today
Update, 11:40 a.m. The judge ruled on a few motions this morning regarding the progress of the case. The gag order remains in place, the Associated Press reports, while the motion from Lynn’s lawyers to move the trial has bee deferred. The prosecution won its motion to have their own medical expert evaluate retired Archbishop Anthony Bevilacqua before his competancy hearing.
Original report The criminal priest-abuse case in Philadelphia returns to court Friday with several pretrial motions before the judge.
Defense lawyers for Monsignor William Lynn have asked the judge to move the trial because of pretrial publicity and lift the gag order that prevents them from responding to evidence filed in the case.
Lynn is the first Roman Catholic church official in the U.S. charged with endangering children through priest transfers. Three other priests and a teacher are charged with rape.
Common Pleas Judge Teresa Sarmina may also weigh the requested testimony of former Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua. Prosecutors want to call Bevilacqua to testify, but church lawyers say he is suffering from cancer and dementia.
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified the former archbishop’s name. NewsWorks regrets the error.
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