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"Whistle-blower" priests say policy thwarts them

B Jerem Roebuck

Inquirer Staff Writer

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/22/11 "Whistle-blower" priests say policy thwarts them

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to bring them in to talk to the D.A. They are going to provide compelling testimony."

As evidence of the church's willingnes s to be transparent, he pointed to the hiring of several former prosecutors to

run internal investigations into the sex-abuse s candal. Most prominent among them is Gina Maisto-Smith, who is

reviewing allegations against 27 priests s uspended this year.

"At this point, the archdiocese has become an alumni ass ociation for former assis tant district attorneys," he said.

But Welsh's representation of at least four employees whose testimony could hurt the church and its leaders

poses a clear conflict of interest, as the archdiocese is paying his legal bills , Blessington maintained.

Whatever Sarmina decides, it could s ignificantly affect the ongoing prosecution of two current priests, a defrocked

priest, and a former schoolteacher on charges that they sexually abused young boys in the 1990s.

A fifth defendant, Msgr. William J. Lynn, is accused of child endangerment and conspiracy for allegedly placing two

of the priests in pos itions where they could abuse children despite previous accusations of inappropriate behavior.

As secretary for clergy until 2004, Lynn was tasked with investigating sex-abuse allegations against priests and

recommending treatment or new assignments for them.

The archdiocese is paying Lynn's legal bills and s tands to gain if he is acquitted, Bless ington noted.

Wednesday's hearing came a day after Common Pleas Court Judge Lillian Harris Ransom ruled that Bernard

Shero, the former schoolteacher charged in the case, could be tried separately from the other four defendants.

Shero is accused of sexually assaulting the same Northeast Philadelphia altar boy that two other defendants, the

Rev. Charles Engelhardt and Edward Avery, allegedly abused in the late 1990s .

His attorney argued, though, that the former teacher deserved a separate trial because he is not charged with

participating in a broader conspiracy to cover up abuse.

Shero's trial is now set to begin after the prosecution of the four others. Their trial is scheduled for February.

Contact staff riter Jerem Roebuck at 267-564-5218, jroebuck@phillnes.com, or @inqmontco on Titter.

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