Jury in Philly clergy sex-abuse case breaks until Monday

By John P. Martin and INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
Posted: June 08, 2012

Jurors in the landmark sex-abuse trial of two Archdiocese of Philadelphia priests ended a week of deliberations Thursday with fresh signs they may be far from a verdict.

Midway through a fifth day of deliberations, the jurors asked Common Pleas Court Judge M. Teresa Sarmina if they could be excused for all of Friday and Monday morning, citing graduations and family commitments.

They also requested to be off Wednesday if they had not reached verdicts against Msgr. William J. Lynn and the Rev. James J. Brennan.

The judge approved the requests.

The panel of seven men and five women got the case last Friday after 11 weeks of trial. Thursday was the first day since the jurors started that they did not ask the judge and lawyers for legal guidance or pieces of evidence to review.

Lynn is the first church official nationwide to be tried for allegedly covering up child sex abuse by priests. The former clergy secretary for the archdiocese is accused of conspiracy and endangering children by recommending that Brennan and another priest, Edward Avery, be allowed to live or work at parishes in the 1990s despite alleged signs they might abuse minors.

Brennan is accused of trying to rape a 14-year-old boy in 1996.

Avery, who has been defrocked, pleaded guilty before the trial to sexually assaulting a 10-year-old altar boy in 1999.

Contact John P. Martin at 215-854-4774, at jmartin@phillynews.com, or follow him @JPMartinInky on Twitter.

Index by Keyword
|
Index by Date
|
About Philly.com
|
Contact Us
|
Terms of Use & Privacy Statement
|
Copyright 2013