PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Lawyers for an imprisoned Roman Catholic official will push this week to have him released on house arrest to await sentencing in Philadelphia in August.
Lawyers for Monsignor William Lynn plan to argue at a bail hearing Thursday that he has a good chance of having his conviction thrown out on appeal.
Lynn has been in prison since he was convicted June 22 of felony child endangerment.
The 61-year-old priest faces up to seven years in prison.
Defense lawyers say the endangerment law shouldn't apply to Lynn because he never "supervised" any individual children.
Lynn oversaw clergy abuse complaints at the Philadelphia archdiocese from 1992 to 2004.
He is the first U.S. church official ever charged for his handling of abuse claims.
