Former DA Mentioned In Priest Sex Abuse Grand Jury Report Fired

PITTSBURGH, PA - Former Beaver County District Attorney Robert Masters has been fired from his job as county Children & Youth Service solicitor after his name appeared in a grand jury report alleging that more than 300 Pennsylvania priests sexually abused children.

The report says that Masters, 87, allegedly knew about the ongoing sex abuse in the 1960s but declined to prosecute priests for political reasons.

In 1964, Master sent a letter to Bishop Vincent Leonard of the Diocese of Pittsburgh regarding the investigation into the Rev. Ernest Paone. “The district attorney advised the diocese that ‘in order to prevent unfavorable publicity,’ he had halted all investigations into similar incidents involving young boys,’” the reported stated. “No further action was taken against Paone.”

Testifying before the grand jury last September, Masters was asked about the letter the grand jury obtained from diocesan files. The report states that when Masters was asked why he deferred to Leonard on a criminal matter, he replied. “Probably out of respect for the bishop. I really have no proper answer.”

Masters also admitted he coveted support from the diocese to further his political ambitions.

A redacted version of the grand jury report, released Tuesday, identified more than 300 “predator priests” in the dioceses of Pittsburgh, Greensburg, Allentown, Erie, Harrisburg and Scranton - including 99 from Pittsburgh.

Priests "were raping little boys and girls and the men of God who were responsible for them not only did nothing: They hid it all," the report stated. “They hid it all.”

Photo via Google Maps.

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