Seth Williams, Philadelphia D.A., Wins Groundbreaking Case against the Catholic Church

In what many nationwide consider a groundbreaking case, Seth Williams, Philadelphia district attorney and the only African-American D.A. in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, has led the nation's first successful prosecution of a senior official of the Roman Catholic Church for covering up sexual abuse by priests under his supervision.

Last Friday, a 12-person jury convicted Monsignor William J. Lynn, 61, of endangering children. He was the secretary for the clergy of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia under Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua. The same jury acquitted Lynn of conspiracy and a second count of endangerment. 

Philadelphia Common Pleas Court Judge M. Teresa Sarmina revoked Lynn's bail and ordered him to jail.

On Feb. 10, 2011, a Philadelphia grand jury released a report and a presentment, following an investigation into allegations that two priests and a teacher sexually abused a 10-year-old boy at St. Jerome Parish in Philadelphia and that another priest assigned to St. Jerome sexually assaulted a 14-year-old boy. The priests are: Edward Avery, Charles Engelhardt and James Brennan. The teacher is Bernard Shero.

The grand jury recommended that the district attorney charge the three priests with rape and indecent sexual assault. In addition, the grand jury recommended that the district attorney charge Lynn with two counts of endangering the welfare of a child. From 1992 to 2004, Lynn was responsible for investigating reports that priests had abused children and for recommending appropriate action to ensure that priests could not do it again. The grand jury decided that Lynn endangered children, including victims in the most-recent cases, by knowingly allowing dangerous priests to continue in the ministry.

Terence McKiernan, head of BishopAccountability.org, a victims' advocacy group, called Lynn's conviction "a watershed moment in the Catholic abuse crisis."

District Attorney Williams, who was raised Catholic, said, "This monumental case will change the way business is done in many institutions."

Williams, who is Philadelphia's first African-American District Attorney, is a true success story. His mother had him placed in foster care, but he was adopted by Rufus O. Williams and Imelda Williams, who emphasized community service. He graduated from Penn State University and Georgetown University Law School. At Georgetown, he graduated with distinction as a Public Interest Law Scholar in 1985.

Voters elected him Philadelphia district attorney on Nov. 3, 2009, with more than 75 percent of the vote.