Struggling jury returns to work in Pa. priest case

Struggling jury returns to work in Pa. priest case

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A struggling jury in Philadelphia is returning to court to deliberate on a verdict in a landmark clergy abuse case involving a Roman Catholic church official.

Jurors were ordered back to work today after telling a judge they were deadlocked on four of five charges.

Monsignor William Lynn is the first U.S. church official charged over his handling of abuse complaints. He’s charged with conspiracy and two counts of child endangerment and accused of keeping accused priests in parish work around children.

The 61-year-old Lynn says only the archbishop could remove a priest from ministry.

Lynn is on trial with the Rev. James Brennan. The 48-year-old Brennan is charged with the attempted rape of a 14-year-old boy in 1996, along with child endangerment.

Today marks the 13th day of deliberations.