Ralph Cipriano, formerly religion reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer, suggests that Monsignor William Lynn "is sitting in jail for a crime that never happened".

Monsignor Lynn, formerly Philadelphia's vicar for clergy, was the first official of an American diocese to be convicted for transferring a known abuser priest from one parish to another. He was sentenced to serve three to six years in prison.

Cipriano says Monsignor's Lynn's conviction — and the related convictions of an other Catholic priest and a school teacher — came in "a couple of show trials shrouded in official secrecy and staged for political benefit".

He claims that the prosecution's cases relied on the testimony of "the least credible prosecution witness", a man with a long history of drug abuse who repeatedly changed his testimony about the abuse he claimed to have experienced.

Cipriano, a long-time critic of archdiocesan officials and their cover-up of sexual abuse, says: "I'm the last person to defend the Philadelphia archdiocese."

His article about the dubious circumstances of Monsignor Lynn's conviction was published in the National Catholic Reporter, a publication that is also frequently critical of Church officials.

He reports that a grand jury investigation in 2005 concluded that archdiocesan officials could not be charged with endangering children. But a new grand jury, convened by a prosecutor with an aggressive attitude toward the Church, produced a different result and opened the way for the trials.

The veteran reporter also notes that while pressing the case against Monsignor Lynn, the prosecutor chose not to bring charges against more prominent archdiocesan officials — including the late Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua and two former auxiliary bishops — who were never questioned about their involvement in, or knowledge of, plans to cover up evidence of sexual abuse by priests.

He says: "The two bishops were never questioned about what they knew about the shredding of incriminating documents ordered by Bevilacqua in 1994, including a memo and a list that Lynn compiled of 35 abuser priests then in active ministry."

Source:

National Catholic Reporter

Catholic World News

Image: Chronicle Herald

The new Public Defence Service, launched today in Wellington by Minister of Justice Simon Power, provides an in-house legal aid service through the use of salaried staff rather than contracted lawyers.

The PDS will take on a third of all cases in the Wellington, Lower Hutt and Porirua.

As he attempts to cut the legal aid bill, Power is under pressure to maintain a just and fair legal system.

"I have witnessed legal aid lawyers who were excellent and some who did not serve the best interests of their client and who provided an inferior service that is costly to the taxpayer", McKinley says.

McKinley, with 30 years of experience in and around the District Court maintains one unfortunate aspect of the PDS will be the inability to access the best lawyers, ones with whom community groups have built up excellent, professional and trusting relationships.

"They have provided our disadvantaged clients with fair and excellent representation".

McKinley says it was a win-win situation. "If the case was straightforward and simple they charged neither us nor Legal Aid".

Power maintains the conviction rate is similar to before the PDS and the major difference is a two-thirds reduction in jury trials, saving in excess of $400,00.

"I see the PDS as playing a vital role in the new, higher-quality legal aid system which the Government is establishing following on from Dame Margaret Bazley's review of legal aid," said Mr Power.

The PDS is already working in Auckland and later in the year will be deployed in Hamilton. Christchurch was also due for the service, however after the earthquake, plans are now on hold.

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