The fix is in boys and girls.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Parents. Hide your children!
“---Almost
a year after Bishop Robert Finn and his diocese were charged with failing to
report child-abuse suspicions, they will appear in court today to lay their
case before a judge and not a jury.
In
a surprising move made public Wednesday in a court filing, the bishop and the
church have agreed to have a judge decide in a bench trial whether they are
guilty. The move avoids a lengthy jury trial, which was set to open Sept. 24.
Prosecutors
and lawyers representing Finn and the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St.
Joseph are sorting through a series of facts about the case, a spokesman for
Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker said.
“This
means that all the parties in the case — the diocese, Bishop Finn and the
prosecutor’s office — are negotiating what the facts and testimony will be,”
said Mike Mansur. “Those will be presented to the judge.”
Jackson
County Circuit Judge John Torrence is expected to issue verdicts today.
Finn
and the diocese each face two misdemeanor counts of failing to report
suspicions of child abuse involving their handling of hundreds of lewd
photographs found on the Rev. Shawn Ratigan’s laptop computer.
Each
charge against Finn carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a $1,000
fine. The diocese faces a fine of up to $5,000 for each charge.---“
.
