HOUSTON — A Texas grand jury has declined to indict the onetime deputy to Cardinal Daniel DiNardo on fees he intimately assaulted a married girl in an instance that raised questions regarding permission when you look at the #MeToo period.

The Harris County District Attorney's Office had presented the truth against Monsignor Frank Rossi on Monday, a lot more than a 12 months after Laura Pontikes filed a unlawful issue with Houston police.

"a jury that is grand presented most of the evidence and determined that no unlawful fees are warranted," stated Dane Schiller, spokesman when it comes to Harris County District Attorney's workplace. "If brand new proof is found at a date that is later prosecutors have the choice of presenting that proof to a different grand jury for consideration."

Rossi had been for years the vicar-general to DiNardo, the Catholic archbishop of Galveston-Houston and president for the U.S. bishops meeting that has been leading the U.S. hierarchy's reaction to the abuse scandal that is sexual.

The Associated Press in June stated that Pontikes, a Houston company administrator, had ukrainian women dating alleged that Rossi manipulated her into a intimate relationship, all while acting as her religious adviser, hearing her confessions, soliciting six-figure donations and counseling her spouse on the difficult wedding. Continue reading →