23 Priests from Philadelphia Still Suspended for Sex Abuse Scandals

One year ago, nearly two dozen Catholic priests were suspended by the Philadelphia archdiocese after an outcry over reports on child sexual abuse by the grand jury. These 23 priests were suspended last March because of sexual abuse accusations on their files, and a former sex-crimes prosecutor was hired by the archdiocese to review them.

As of September, the new Archbishop vowed to make "good judgments" regarding priests and parishioners who have been put on suspension, stating that it was not fair to leave them hanging. He also said it was not good for the victims and the families of the victims to be left without a conclusive decision about the suspension. However, a decision has still not been made in regards to the future of these suspended priests.

Some of the charges alleged against the priests include rape, child molestation and other forms of sexual abuse. The archdiocese has been accused of failing to weed out potential predators even after a grand jury report in 2005 had accused the archdiocese for protecting dozens of accused child molesters for decades.

Allegations and charges of sex crimes are embarrassing, and can have a devastating effect on a person's reputation, career and personal relationships. Many of the priests have not kept up relations and have isolated themselves from other priests because of the embarrassing nature of their charges. When an individual is accused of a sexual crime such as rape or molestation, it is vitally important that they take immediate action to protect their rights.

A Philadelphia criminal attorney at The Benari Law Group can provide the assertive legal defense that you need after being accused of a crime. We are ready to fight aggressively to make sure that your side of the story is heard, and that your future is protected. Our superior team is well-versed in all aspects of criminal law, so contact a Philadelphia criminal lawyer at our firm about your charges today.