Pennsylvania

Church Abuse Accuser Asks Court to Release Pennsylvania Dioceses Report

A man who accused a since-defrocked priest of molesting him as a 13-year-old is asking Pennsylvania's highest court to allow the release of a grand jury report into allegations of decades of child sexual abuse in six Roman Catholic dioceses.

The filing by Todd Frey comes as the state Supreme Court holds up publication of the nearly 900-page report while it accepts written arguments this week from current and former priests who object to being named in the report.

All six dioceses implicated in the report told NBC10 in emailed statements that they have not moved to block the report's release. 

"The contents of the report will be painful, but it is necessary for the report to be released in order for us to learn from it and to continue in our efforts to be responsive to victims and to create safe environments for our children," Dan Gallagher of the Diocese of Scranton said in an emailed statement.

A two-year investigation targeted the dioceses of Erie, Greensburg, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Allentown and Scranton. Victim advocates say it could be the most exhaustive examination by any state of clergy abuse.

Frey joins NBC10, Telemundo 62, other news organizations and Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro in asking the court to release the report.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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