MADRID — A Spanish judge leading an investigation into accusations of sexual abuse against priests in the southern city of Granada has decided that the case can proceed against only one of the priests because the statute of limitations has expired for the lower-level criminal charges filed against 11 other people, including nine priests.
The judge, Antonio Moreno, informed the regional court of Andalusia of his decision on Monday, saying that the statute of limitations had expired for all the charges faced by the other 11 indicted people.
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The Roman Catholic Church’s investigation is led by the Vatican rather than Granada’s diocese, but Paqui Pallarés, a spokeswoman for the diocese, said, “We are the first who want the truth and who will show zero tolerance” toward any evidence of sexual abuse within the diocese.
