Prosecutor: Sex abuse in diocese infrequent

AUGUSTA – A state prosecutor reviewing files from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland said allegations of sexual molestation against priests in the documents do not point to a widespread problem in Maine.

Many of the allegations are old and impossible to prove and others consist of a single unsubstantiated charge against a priest with an otherwise unblemished record, Assistant Attorney General Leanne Robbin said Thursday at a hearing in Kennebec County Superior Court.

Blethen Maine Newspapers, the owner of the Portland Press Herald, wants a judge to release files on allegations made against priests who are now dead. The company argues there is a strong public interest in the contents of the files, which were turned over to prosecutors by the diocese in May.

The state contends that publication would interfere with law enforcement efforts and invade the privacy of the people involved.

Robbin said that if the state has a prosecutable case, the name of the defendant would be made public but that there are no plans to release the files.

“If we don’t prosecute a case, we don’t make a public pronouncement saying, ‘We have allegations against John Smith, just thought you should know,”‘ Robbin said.

Jonathan Piper, the lawyer representing the newspaper, said the privacy argument was not relevant.

Piper said that the privacy of sex crimes victims was not at risk because the newspaper does not publish their names without their permission.

Dead people, meanwhile, have no legal right to privacy, Piper said.