PHILADELPHIA – A judge has told a Roman Catholic church official that he will be arrested if he violates the terms of his release on electronic monitoring following reversal of his conviction in the priest sex-abuse scandal.
Common Pleas Judge M. Teresa Sarmina also told 63-year-old Monsignor William Lynn on Monday to report weekly to a probation officer.
Lynn served 18 months on a felony child endangerment conviction. He was the first U.S. church official ever convicted in the handling of abuse complaints.
Lynn says he tried to protect children as secretary for clergy in Philadelphia from 1992 to 2004, but prosecutors — who are appealing the reversal — say he sought only to protect the church.
Lynn declined to answer questions after the brief hearing, saying only, "I'm just taking care of myself."
The hottest stories ripped from the headlines, from crime to courts, legal and scandal.
