Priest sex abuse trial headed to jury

The Roman Catholic Church continues to receive much deserved negative news coverage as yet another sex abuse case goes to trial. One plaintiff is from Virginia Beach and the Virginian Pilot has coverage of the out of state trial (http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/V/VT_PRIEST_SEX_ABUSE_VAOL-?SITE=VANOV&SECTION=STATE). Note that one issue in the story is alleged efforts by a bishop to kill an effort to prosecute the offending priest. I an still waiting for Benedict XVI to punish bishops and cardinals who covered up abuse and/or transferred sexual predators from parish to parish. To date, none have been removed from office in disgrace. Here are some story highlights:

BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) -- Closing arguments are expected this week in the case of a man suing the Roman Catholic Diocese of Vermont over his alleged molestation by a priest more than 30 years ago. James Turner, 47, of Virginia Beach, Va., accuses the diocese of covering up and failing to respond to the sexual misconduct of then-Rev. Alfred Willis. He accuses the now-defrocked former priest of performing a sex act on him in a Latham, N.Y., hotel room in 1977 after the ordination of Turner's older brother.

Mark Keller, a former Chittenden County state's attorney, on Friday challenged claims that the late Bishop John Marshall pressured him in an effort to prevent potential criminal child sex abuse charge against Willis. Susan Via, former assistant prosecutor in Keller's office, told the jury in videotaped testimony earlier this week that Marshall told Keller he would commit the "sin of scandal" by investigating claims Willis molested boys in Milton in 1980.