Kansas City bishop seeks dismissal of criminal charges

Thursday, February 16, 2012 | 8:56 a.m. CST; updated 9:25 a.m. CST, Thursday, February 16, 2012
BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

KANSAS CITY — Attorneys for a Missouri Catholic bishop are asking a court to dismiss a misdemeanor charge that he failed to report suspected child abuse by a priest.

On Wednesday, attorneys of Bishop Robert Finn filed four motions seeking dismissal of the charge, each based on different legal arguments. Another motion seeks to have the bishop tried separately from the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, which faces the same charge, if the case goes to trial.

The Kansas City Star reported that a spokesman for Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker said the office was not surprised by the motions and would oppose them.

Prosecutors said Finn and the diocese waited five months before telling police about pornographic photos of children found on a priest's computer.

Finn has pleaded not guilty.

 

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