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Pastimes : Clown-Free Zone... sorry, no clowns allowed -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Knighty Tin who wrote (209604)	12/14/2002 10:55:30 AM
From: JHP	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 436258

The family Leadership change won't derail AG's investigation by Maggie Mulvihill Saturday, December 14, 2002 Bernard Cardinal Law's decision to step down as Archbishop of Boston will not affect the continuing criminal grand jury investigation being conducted by Attorney General Tom Reilly's office, Reilly's spokeswoman said. ``The cardinal's resignation doesn't change the course of our investigation,'' Ann E. Donlan said. ``We will continue to seek the facts.'' The attorney general's office has subpoenaed Law as well as other top former and present archdiocesan officials to testify before the grand jury as it seeks evidence the church hierarchy may be criminally responsible for the extent of the sexual abuse crisis in Boston. Reilly, who has largely built his prosecutorial career around his intolerance for child abuse, publicly slammed church officials this week for not cooperating with the secret grand jury. Reilly accused Law and his underlings of engaging in a ``coverup'' to hide evidence of molester priests, as well as refusing to turn over documents. His stinging comments came just after New Hampshire Attorney General Philip T. McLaughlin announced a landmark agreement with church leaders in the Diocese of Manchester, who have acknowledged violating the state's child endangerment law by not protecting children from abusive priests. It was the first time any Catholic church official in the country has admitted breaking criminal law by not safeguarding children from sexually abusive priests, said James Rosenberg, a New Hampshire prosecutor involved in drafting the agreement. Reilly's remarks alarmed Law's personal attorney, J. Owen Todd, who said the state's top prosecutor should keep quiet. ``It is very, very disappointing to me. We have a grand jury in deliberation, and to have the prosecutor make statements about what evidence and what conclusions he's formed while the grand jury is still investigating is wrong,'' Todd said, adding Law will continue to cooperate with Reilly's office. Reilly is one of numerous prosecutors nationwide who have been presenting evidence of possible crimes by church officials and religious personnel to grand juries. Several said yesterday the resignation of a single person would not derail their criminal probes. In Sonoma County, Calif., prosecutors also are examining the conduct of Santa Rosa diocesan officials relative to abusive priests, said district attorney J. Michael Mullins. ``Bishops forget that they are morally responsible for the leadership of their diocese, and maybe some of them shouldn't be bishops at all,'' Mullins said. ``But a bishop's resignation - it just wouldn't affect our investigation.''