Philadelphia judge refuses to step down from sex-abuse case

February 15, 2012

The Pennsylvania judge presiding over a highly controversial sex-abuse case has rejected a motion from defense lawyers asking her to step down.

Judge Teresa Sarmina denied that her statements during a courtroom hearing had shown bias against the Catholic Church. The judge had been widely quoted as saying, “Anyone that doesn't think there is widespread sexual abuse within the Catholic Church is living on another planet.” He insists that she actually used the past tense, saying: “Anyone that doesn’t think there was widespread sexual abuse…” The latter statement, Judge Sarmina said, reflects only a general recognition of the facts revealed in the past decade.

 

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Further information:

• Judge Refuses To Bow Out Of Philadelphia Clergy Child Abuse Trial (CBS)
• Defense lawyers ask judge to step down in Philadelphia abuse trial (CWN, 2/09)