Kansas City abuse case decision expected to center on 'mandated reporter' statute

Kansas City abuse case decision expected to center on 'mandated reporter' statute

Lawyers argue bishop not responsible in priest’s case

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The first criminal case against a Catholic bishop in the decades-long clergy sex abuse scandal is expected to take a pivotal turn this week, as a county judge decides whether Bishop Robert Finn, head of the Kansas City-St. Joseph diocese, can be tried on charges of failing to report suspected child abuse. Central to the decision will be the question of whether Finn can be considered a "mandated reporter" in the case.