PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Prosecutors are calling the Archdiocese of Philadelphia an "unindicted co-conspirator" in a clergy sex abuse case — and say the Catholic Church fed predators a steady supply of children.
The comment comes in a key pretrial hearing Monday before the March trial of a high-ranking church official, a priest and an ex-priest.
Monsignor William Lynn is charged with conspiring with priests and church officials to keep accused priests in ministry and parishioners in the dark.
To prove a conspiracy, prosecutors want to tell jurors about dozens of priests accused in a 2005 grand jury report. No charges were filed.
Defense lawyers say those allegations shouldn't be aired in the current case.
Archdiocese spokeswoman Donna Farrell says the church can't comment on the "co-conspirator" accusation because of a gag order.
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