New Jersey can have a grand jury investigate clergy sex abuse allegations, state high court rules
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TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey can have a grand jury examine allegations of clergy sexually abusing children, the state’s Supreme Court ruled Monday, after a Catholic diocese that had tried for years to block such proceedings recently reversed course.
The Diocese of Camden previously had argued that a court rule prevents the state attorney general from impaneling a grand jury to issue findings in the state’s investigation into decades of allegations against church officials. But the diocese notified the court in early May that it would no longer oppose that. Camden Bishop Joseph Williams, who took over the diocese in March, said he’d met with stakeholders in the diocese and there was unanimous consent to end the church’s opposition to the grand jury.
The seven-member Supreme Court concluded such a grand jury inquiry is allowed.
“Courts cannot presume the outcome of an investigation in advance or the contents of a presentment that has not yet been written,” the court wrote in an opinion joined by all seven justieces. “We find that the State has the right to proceed with its investigation and present evidence before a special grand jury.”
Content retrieved from: https://apnews.com/article/clergy-abuse-catholic-church-new-jersey-1675bdb68b1e62b328c4550a3c271bee.
