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Maryland Supreme Court: State Cannot Publicize Those Unindicted for Child Sex Abuse by Clergy
The justices said grand jury secrecy protects uncharged people from public ridicule and rejected the attorney general’s bid to disclose 35 withheld names.
- On Monday, The Maryland Supreme Court barred The Attorney General from releasing names of Archdiocese clergy and staff cited in a grand jury probe but never charged, citing legal protections for unindicted individuals.
- Attorney General Anthony Brown released a 463-page investigative report in April 2023 detailing abuse by 156 clergy members, with investigators finding that more than 600 children were known to have been abused by those listed.
- Justice Jonathan Biran wrote in the 37-page opinion that grand jury secrecy must protect uncharged persons from public disgrace, stating courts cannot order disclosure simply to hold individuals accountable in the court of public opinion.
- Lorenz said Monday evening he had a "hard time with the Supreme Court saying that unredacting these names is not in the public interest" regarding those who helped protect criminals.
- Eighteen individuals had successfully appealed to the Supreme Court to block disclosure of about 35 names, a ruling that narrows visibility into Archdiocese misconduct and potentially shapes civil claims under the Child Victims Act.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Maryland Supreme Court rules names of unindicted clergy cannot be released
The Maryland Supreme Court has ruled the state cannot release the names of unindicted clergy accused of sex abuse in connection with the Archdiocese of Baltimore investigation. The court said grand jury secrecy protections apply to people who were investigated but not criminally charged. The ruling still allows the broader report to remain public, but blocks identifying information for uncharged individuals.
Maryland Supreme Court bars release of names in Baltimore Archdiocese abuse probe
BALTIMORE — The Maryland Supreme Court ruled Monday that prosecutors may not publicly identify more than a dozen clergy and laypeople accused of concealing or failing to report child sexual abuse within the Archdiocese of Baltimore, finding that such disclosures…
Maryland Supreme Court rules to 'protect uncharged persons from public disgrace' in Archdiocese case
Maryland's Attorney General is barred from disclosing the names of clergy members and staff of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, who were investigated but not criminally charged for allegedly sexually abusing children.
Washington Top News
Maryland MattersMaryland Supreme Court: State cannot publicize those unindicted for child sex abuse by clergy
The Maryland Supreme Court ruled Monday that the Attorney General’s Office cannot publish the names of Archdiocese of Baltimore clergy and staff who were cited in a grand jury probe of sexual abuse of children, but never charged. The ruling overturns two lower courts that had agreed with the attorney general that publishing the names was justified to “make public for the first time the enormous scope and scale of abuse and concealment perpetrate…
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