Ada County deputies questioned LDS leaders’ role in baby molestation case

[LAGC]

As many as 15 people who knew that a Boise police officer had confessed to molesting babies will face no criminal charges.

Ada County sheriff’s deputies investigated whether those people should be charged with failing to report the crimes. But deputies have determined that the leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints congregation that Stephen R. Young attended can’t be charged because of Idaho’s clergy privilege law.
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“And church leaders avoided violating the clergy privilege — a breach which could have tainted the evidence against Mr. Young and jeopardized his prosecution.”

The Idaho code that defines members of the clergy — including LDS lay bishops and stake presidents — allows people to confess crimes without fear of their confessions being reported to police. But LDS officials say church policy and practice is to urge such people to turn themselves in.

http://www.idahostatesman.com/2010/12/12/1452198/deputies-questioned-lds-leaders.html

Why is it that we have these clergy privilege laws in the first place? What's so special about religion that makes it above the law? What other vocation can you confess such a heinous crime and not be promptly reported to police over it? This guy was allowed to linger in society and within the church for MONTHS after his confession. What's wrong with this picture?

[EvolveOrConvolve]

1. The law was created by and specifically for members of the LDS church

The statute applies to those who are a “...duly ordained minister of religion, who has been ordained or set apart ... to hear confessions and confidential communications”. As far as I know, only the Mormons use the phrase "set apart" to describe the process of appointing regular church members to specific church positions.

In the 90's, the Idaho Legislature, a body controlled disproportionately by members of the LDS church, updated the statute to cover LDS lay clergy. This allowed the Mormon church to cover up sexual abuse crimes without the potential for lawsuits from victims. The change suspiciously occurred at a time when religious sexual abuses were first being uncovered in the Catholic church and to a smaller degree, the Mormon church.

[MountainLaurel]

2. Thank you for that explanation

Sometimes I think this country is a lot closer to a theocracy than many people would believe.

[Angry Dragon]

3. So many gods .............. so little time