Crime

DOJ Opens Investigation Into Pennsylvania Clergy Abuse Allegations

Officials from the Department of Justice have reportedly issued subpoenas to dioceses across the state.

DOJ Opens Investigation Into Pennsylvania Clergy Abuse Allegations
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The Department of Justice has reportedly opened a federal investigation into allegations of child abuse by Pennsylvania Catholic clergy. 

According to the Associated Press, DOJ officials have served subpoenas to dioceses across the state, following an August report on alleged abuse. 

That report implicated hundreds of priests who it said had abused more than 1,000 children in the state since 1947. Despite those numbers, authorities have only charged two priests because the statute of limitations has expired in most of the cases. 

The Pennsylvania legislature recently considered a bill that would change the statute of limitations in those cases, but didn't pass it into law.