Should LDS Bishops Be Charged in Susan Brock Sex Scandal?

[_TrashcanMan79]

From PhoenixNewTimes.com:



The Pinal County Attorney's Office announced that two bishops in the Church of Jesus Christ and Latter-day Saints will not be charged with crimes, despite knowing Susan Brock had a sexual relationship with a teenage boy and not calling police.

Rather than call police, the boy's parents -- and Brock's husband, Maricopa County Supervisor Fulton Brock -- called their bishops in the LDS church after learning about the abuse.

Bishops Matthew Meyers and Troy Hansen each knew Susan Brock was sexually abusing the boy, but failed to report the abuse to authorities. In fact, the only reason police found out about the abuse of the boy was because his father got "tired of waiting" for LDS church officials to contact police.

Get all the details here.

Under Arizona's vague duty to report laws, clergy "may withhold" information, even when it comes to child abuse, learned during a confession. In other words, the bishops had the option to call police, but they didn't. Not to mention, Arizona's legal definition of "confession" is as vague as the law itself.

We want to know what you think: did the LDS bishops break the law, or are they guilty of nothing more than bad judgment?

[_just me]

She didn't "confess" according to what you wrote. The parents of the victim reported it to the bishop. OMG! The bishop should have told them to file a police report and then he should have called the police and reported what he was told.

I'll have to read the actual article.

This is very disappointing.

[_The Nehor]

Why were the parents of the boy waiting for Bishops to contact the police?

As I read this the parents of the boy contacted the Bishop in the first place (instead of the police? Why?). If anyone deserves punishment I think the parents of the boy should be charged.

What kind of nitwit on finding their child has been sexually abused calls first their Bishop who cannot make sure it stops?

Then again, the Bishops don't appear to be too bright here either.

Still:

As the father of the victim later told police, after meeting with Church leaders to discuss the abuse, he was "under the impression" that cops would be called.

If that were my son being "under the impression" that law enforcement was involved wouldn't cut it....at all....ever. I would have called DURING that meeting if I found it out it hadn't been done. The call should have been made before of course but.......what the hell were these people thinking?

[_Joseph]

So these 'inspired servants of The Lord', these 'Judges in Israel' did not report sexual abuse when they found out about it?

What, they think they are catholic priests and want in on the action?

Fry the bastards as well as the parents who were so stupid as to go to RichardHeads like these two.

[_Quasimodo]

I'm curious if there is any counseling of Church officials about this sort of thing. Maybe Nehor knows.

I think if there was a clear policy regarding the reporting of crimes by Bishops they should have made some contact to legal authorities.

[_The Nehor]

I'm curious if there is any counseling of Church officials about this sort of thing. Maybe Nehor knows.

I think if there was a clear policy regarding the reporting of crimes by Bishops they should have made some contact to legal authorities.

If I remember right in the Church Handbook when you find out a minor is being abused I remember reading that you contact the parents and local authorities.

There is a Church hotline number Bishops can call if they get something dumped on them that is either more ambiguous or legally tricky or if they are not sure how they should respond to a situation.

These Bishops screwed up. I have no idea why. Maybe there were extenuating circumstances. They'd have to be very very very good to justify waiting though. The only justification I can think of is that the Bishops assumed the family weren't retards and had already called the cops and they were just stepping in to help with the repercussions.

Still, I place most of the blame on the parents who found out and then decided to hold a meeting with their Bishop and then left "under the impression" that the authorities would be called. Morons.

[_Joseph]

Nehi wrote: "There is a Church hotline number Bishops can call if they get something dumped on them that is either more ambiguous or legally tricky or if they are not sure how they should respond to a situation."

*****************************************

You mean they didn't pray about it and get a clear and quick answer to the problem from the Holy Ghost?

There 'inspiration' was a 'stupor of thought'?

[_The Nehor]

Nehi wrote: "There is a Church hotline number Bishops can call if they get something dumped on them that is either more ambiguous or legally tricky or if they are not sure how they should respond to a situation."

*****************************************

You mean they didn't pray about it and get a clear and quick answer to the problem from the Holy Ghost?

You really have no idea how revelation is supposed to work do you?

There 'inspiration' was a 'stupor of thought'?

On a more basic level you haven't mastered the difference between 'there' and 'their'.

Work on both of these.

[_beefcalf]

Then again, the Bishops don't appear to be too bright here either.

So... did their 'gift of discernment' peter-out all of a sudden when it was really needed? Or was it that Jesus simply made a mistake in calling these guys as Bishops?

[_Baker]

Agree with Nehor - parents should have called the police first. I think the church would do well to make a point of this to members - if there's abuse, call the police before the bishop.