Report: Egan protected abusive priests

HARTFORD, Conn., March 17 (UPI) -- New York Cardinal Edward M. Egan allowed several priests accused of sexual abuse to continue their duties for years while he led a Connecticut diocese, the Hartford Courant reported Sunday, citing court documents. The documents show Eagan did not refer complaints to criminal authorities and suggested during closed testimony in 1999 that a dozen people who made complaints of sexual abuse against the same priest may have been lying, the newspaper said.