Church trial begins for bishop of Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania, accused of hiding abuse

June 10, 2008
The Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA: An Episcopal bishop accused of concealing his brother's sexual abuse of a 14-year-old girl decades ago twice walked in during the abuse and never did anything to stop it, the now-adult victim testified Monday at a church trial.

The testimony came as the trial opened for Bishop Charles E. Bennison Jr. of the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania. His brother became a priest after the abuse is alleged to have begun.
A panel of bishops, priests and church members will decide whether Bennison, the leader of the fifth-largest Episcopal diocese in the U.S., may resume his duties. Bennison, 64, was ordered to cease all "ministerial and canonical acts" in November.

The accuser, now 50, said Charles Bennison witnessed incidents in a Sunday school classroom and in a church office in 1973.

"He opened the door, took a look at us, turned around and walked out," the victim testified. the rest

Presentment-pdf