Diocese of Los Angeles Ordered to Turn Over Secret Sex Abuse Files

Coat of Arms of Los Angeles Diocese

Americans may be about to learn more about the total moral bankruptcy of some in the Catholic hierarchy who knowingly and deliberately the aid sexual predator priests and then sought to cover up their crimes thereby allowing them prey on more innocent victims.  It's a pattern seen world wide from Ireland to Australia and all across America in at least 2/3's of American dioceses.   What was disclosed in Philadelphia is likely the norm for how the bishops and cardinals - with the full knowledge and direction - engaged in criminal conspiracies to obstruct law enforcement and obstruct justice.   The Los Angeles diocese may have paid out a huge settlement sum roughly five years ago, but the true filth within the hierarchy was never fully brought to light.  And until this filth is fully disclosed, the malignancy within the institutional Church will not be excised.  A story here looks at the effort to hold the hierarchy accountable.  Here are highlights:

 

A judge on Monday ordered the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles to turn over to the court the top-secret files it has kept for decades on dozens of priests accused of sex abuse, bringing the documents closer to public scrutiny.

The order by Superior Court Judge Emilie Elias came five years after more than 550 alleged victims reached a record-breaking, $660 million settlement with the archdiocese that also called for the public unsealing of the confidential files.

Individual priests have been fighting to keep the records closed, but the California Supreme Court declined to intervene earlier this year after a lower court decision in a related case cleared the way for the release of the documents.

Elias gave the archdiocese until Dec. 27 to give her the files on 69 priests to review and then set a hearing for early January to consider arguments from priests who want to keep their files private.
The judge will also hear objections to a previous order that allows the archdiocese to black out the names of some clerics and the church officials who handled the priests. The Los Angeles Times has filed court papers objecting to the order and had an attorney in court Monday.

Boucher estimates the archdiocese has files on 80 more priests that it is not turning over to the judge. He also said documents on priests who belonged to Roman Catholic religious orders are also missing.  The church says it has no records on another 105 priests who were included in the 2007 global settlement.  The settlement covered more than 245 priests and 550 plaintiffs.

Some plaintiffs' attorneys believe the full contents of the files could expose some top church leaders to criminal charges, although many documents related to the most notorious abusive priests have already been disclosed through civil litigation and earlier criminal prosecutions.

Holding those officials, including the recently retired Cardinal Roger Mahony, accountable is critical, Ray Boucher, lead plaintiff's attorney, said outside court. He has reviewed the files under seal and called some of the never-before seen documents "explosive."

For far too long church denominations and their clergy have been allowed to literally act as if they are above the law.   All the foul crimes need to be exposed to public view and the deference given to Christianity and conservative Christians in general needs to end.