From Monday, the priest, for whose failure to report is also accused Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, should actually answer in court. The pastor is alleged to have sexually abused minors. But trial postponed.
The trial at the Lyon Criminal Court, scheduled for four days, has been postponed by one day to Tuesday due to the nationwide strike against the government's pension reform, French media reported (Monday).
The former pastor of the Boy Scouts in Sainte-Foy-les-Lyon is accused of sexually abusing scouts between the ages of seven and ten between 1986 and 1991. Ten alleged victims want to testify. A French church court had already dismissed the priest from the clergy in July.
Unsuccessful in court
Medially, the accusations against the clergyman have already been processed in the film "Grace a Dieu" by Francois Ozon. The priest tried to take legal action against the broadcast; however, he was unsuccessful.
In addition, at the end of December, a book announced for last Friday by the association "La parole liberee" (The liberated word) of those affected by abuse had made headlines. In 170 pages, 23 testimonies of alleged victims of priests were to appear. Among them, he said, are some of those affected, who will now be at stake in the trial of the former priest. However, the publisher "Les editions Temps Present" canceled the publication of the book because some of those affected had taken legal action against it.
Plea for acquittal
French primate Barbarin was found guilty of failing to report sexual assault by a Lyon court in March 2019. Since guilty verdict, Barbarin has rested his post as archbishop of Lyon. Pope Francis had rejected an offer to resign, citing the "presumption of innocence". Barbarin also appealed. The verdict is expected on 30. January to be announced.
Both the prosecutor and Barbarin's lawyer, Jean-Felix Luciani, pleaded for the cardinal's acquittal during the appeal trial. Barbarin had been sentenced in March 2019 to six months probation for not reporting the priest.