Monsignor William Lynn denied house arrest, jailed until sentencing for child endangerment

By: Casey Glynn
Topics: Daily Blotter

Monsignor William Lynn walks to the Criminal Justice Center before a scheduled verdict reading, Friday, June 22, 2012, in Philadelphia.

/ AP Photo/Matt Rourke

(CBS/AP) PHILADELPHIA - William Lynn, the Philadelphia monsignor convicted of child endangerment for reassigning a priest suspected of abuse to a new parish, has been denied house arrest.

Judge M. Teresa Sarmina ruled Thursday after prosecutors argued Lynn should be treated like any other felon and remain jailed until his sentencing hearing.

Lynn's attorneys say their client isn't a flight risk and argued for his release on house arrest. But prosecutors say other defendants in Lynn's situation wouldn't be accommodated the same way.

"We're of course disappointed in the Judge's decision to deny bail pending sentence, but this decision was not unexpected," Lynn's attorney, Jeff Lindy, told CBS News. "Despite all of this, Msgr. Lynn's somehow has been able to remain in good spirits. He's a person of strong faith, and that has really helped him through all of this so far."

Judge Sarmina did approve a defense request to move sentencing up from Aug. 13 to July 24. Lynn faces 3 1/2 to seven years in prison.

Lynn was the first U.S. church official ever convicted for his handling of abuse complaints. His attorneys plan to appeal.

Complete coverage of Monsignor William Lynn on Crimesider

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by JeannieGuzman July 5, 2012 11:37 PM EDT: Yes! Judy you are right! Roman Catholic Church officials all around the world have received a really strong message about enabling Pedophile Priests by not reporting them to the Law, transferring them from parish to parish, and having senior clerics not act like little robots, when a bishop, archbishop or cardinals tells them to do something which they know is against the law! Just last week Australia showed that they were listening to the Lynn trial. Australia's ABC Network made a documentary called, "Unholy Silence." It opened by mentioning the Monsignor Lynn trial in Philly, continents away! Go for it, Australia. There, in the 4 Corners area several Altar boys ended up committing suicide as young adults, because they were brutally sodomized by priests in their early youth! Australia may well see trials quite similar in nature to that of Monsignor Lynn's. This was truly a landmark trial with international implications for the entire Roman Catholic Church! More and more the public is seeing an inter-connectedness with Survivors from all over the world, who suffered similar fates and coverups by the Roman Catholic Church, which orchestrated the international coverups from the very top: The Vatican!; Reply to this comment


by JeannieGuzman July 5, 2012 11:35 PM EDT: Yes! Judy you are right! Roman Catholic Church officials all around the world have received a really strong message about enabling Pedophile Priests by not reporting them to the Law, transferring them from parish to parish, and having senior clerics not act like little robots, when a bishop, archbishop or cardinals tells them to do something which they know is against the law! Just last week Australia showed that they were listening to the Lynn trial. Australia's ABC Network made a documentary called, "Unholy Silence." It opened by mentioning the Monsignor Lynn trial in Philly, continents away! Go for it, Australia. There, in the 4 Corners area several Altar boys ended up committing suicide as young adults, because they were brutally sodomized by priests in their early youth! Australia may well see trials quite similar in nature to that of Monsignor Lynn's. This was truly a landmark trial with international implications for the entire Roman Catholic Church! More and more the public is seeing an inter-connectedness with Survivors from all over the world, who suffered similar fates and coverups by the Roman Catholic Church, which orchestrated the international coverups from the very top: The Vatican!; Reply to this comment


by SNAPJudy July 5, 2012 1:49 PM EDT: Philadelphia priest, Msgr Lynn, is in jail because brave victims came forward and broke their silence.

This trial and verdict sends a strong message to all church officials around the world that they can no longer get away with enabling and covering up sex crimes against innocent kids.

It is time to start protecting children instead of protecting child predators. The Philadelphia Archdiocese is not unique in how they handle child sex crimes, all other dioceses throughout the world have secret archives and many "bishops are still NOT removing credibly accused predators from their parishes". Law enforcement needs to be investigating other diocese who are still protecting the predators. Children are still at risk of being sexually abused today.

Judy Jones, SNAP Midwest Associate Director, USA, 636-433-2511. snapjudy@gmail.com,
(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests,); Reply to this comment