LA Archdiocese (Cardinal Roger Mahony) allegedly covers up sex crimes [View All]

Sex abuse cover-up by L.A. Archdiocese is alleged
September 19, 2009 | 7:57 am

The former vicar of clergy for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles testified this week under oath that Cardinal Roger Mahony ordered him in 2000 not to contact police about allegations of sexual abuse by a priest.

In deposition papers filed Friday as part of a civil case, Msgr. Richard Loomis also testified that Mahony ordered him not to inform parishes of allegations against the now defrocked Rev. Michael Baker.

In 2007, Baker was sent to state prison for 10 years after his conviction on molestation charges. He has been called before a federal grand jury investigating how the archdiocese handled priest abuse cases. Loomis is on leave from the archdiocese after also being accused of sexual abuse.

Tod M. Tamberg, a spokesman for the archdiocese, said church officials had not seen the deposition and therefore could not comment.