Vatican abuse probe of Guam archbishop heads to mainland US

Published March 16, 2017

Vatican officials prosecuting Guam's archbishop for alleged sex abuse have shifted their investigation from the Pacific island of Guam to Hawaii and now to the U.S. mainland to interview potential witnesses.

But attorney David Lujan says he has instructed all four of his clients to not testify unless they can have their lawyer present. His complaints lay bare how the secrecy of the Vatican's trials can conflict with secular legal standards.

Lujan says: "No one knows what the procedures are, what the rules are. The findings are secret, so you never know when it's over."

Archbishop Anthony Apuron faces multiple allegations of sex abuse of altar boys in the 1970s. Apuron has denied the claims and has not been criminally charged. American Cardinal Raymond Burke is presiding over the church trial.

URL

https://www.foxnews.com/world/vatican-abuse-probe-of-guam-archbishop-heads-to-mainland-us