PHILADELPHIA, July 23 (Reuters) - Prosecutors said on Monday
they would retry a key figure in the child sex abuse case
involving Monsignor William Lynn, the most senior clergyman
convicted in the U.S. Roman Catholic Church scandal.
A new trial for the Reverend James Brennan, 49, on charges
of attempted rape and child endangerment was announced on Monday
before Common Pleas Court Judge M. Teresa Sarmina.
On Tuesday, Sarmina will sentence Lynn, 61, who faces up to
seven years in prison for child endangerment. He has been in
jail since his conviction on June 22 after a three-month joint
trial with Brennan.
Lynn, as the former secretary for the clergy for the
Philadelphia Archdiocese, was essentially personnel director for
800 priests, including Brennan.
Lynn was convicted of covering up sex abuse allegations,
often by transferring predatory priests to unsuspecting
parishes.
The sweeping sex abuse scandal rocked the Catholic
Archdiocese of Philadelphia, the nation's sixth largest, with
1.5 million members.
The jury that convicted Lynn was unable to reach a verdict
on Brennan, accused of child endangerment and the attempted rape
of a 14-year-old boy in 1996.
"It is extremely important that Brennan be held accountable
for his crime, not just for his victim, but for all victims of
sexual abuse," District Attorney Seth Williams said in a
statement after announcing Brennan would be prosecuted again.
"James Brennan used his position as a priest to prey upon
and victimize this young man," the prosecutor said.
Brennan's defense lawyer, William Brennan, who is not
related, said the jury that failed to reach a unanimous decision
had voted 11-1 to acquit on attempted rape, with a similar vote
on the endangerment charge.
"One of the jurors posted it on the Internet," the defense
lawyer said.
"I was optimistic that they (the prosecutors) would see it
our way after going through such a mega trial, but that's not up
to me, it's up to the DA. ... It seems to me they took their
best shot," the defense lawyer said.
At the trial, Brennan's accuser, now 30, testified he was
molested while he shared Brennan's bed at his apartment.
"I was scared," he testified. "I thought he would kill me or
something. I didn't know, I was a little boy."
(Reporting by Dave Warner)
Follow us on Twitter @ReutersLegal | Like us on Facebook