LAPD Reviews Files Of Alleged Abuse In LA Archdiocese

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Detectives on Tuesday began investigating new evidence that could lead to prosecutions in alleged abuse cases in the Roman Catholic church.

KNX 1070's Margaret Carrero reports some of the cases currently under review by the Los Angeles Police Department date back decades ago.

Detectives with LAPD's juvenile division who specialize in child abuse cases are carefully reviewing the once-secret personnel documents of more than 120 clergy members of the Los Angeles Roman Catholic Archdiocese accused of molesting children.

A letter obtained by CBS2/KCAL9 shows Cardinal Roger Mahoney and Bishop Thomas Curry agreeing that certain information should not be given to a therapist fearing law enforcement could find out. Mahoney and Curry both have issued apologies.

KCAL9's legal analyst Steve Meister said Mahoney and Curry could face some serious charges.

"Mahoney and Curry and anyone else who was involved in keeping this quiet for decades is not off the hook," Meister said.

Because many cases date back as far as 1988, some will fall outside the statute of limitations, but LAPD spokesperson Lt. Andy Nieman said detectives hope to bring some semblance of closure to the victims and their families.

"Some of them were investigated to great lengths and there were certain steps that could not be furthered because certain information was not available to them at the time of those investigations," he said.

It remained unclear whether any clergy named in the files will face prosecution.

The L.A. Archdiocese declined to comment on the LAPD's review of the documents.

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