February 24th, 2023 by WCBC Radio

WBAL reports a redacted version of the Maryland attorney general's report into child sexual abuse at the Archdiocese of Baltimore can be released, a Baltimore City Circuit Court judge ruled Friday.

Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown released a statement Friday afternoon, saying: "We are pleased with the court's order today permitting the interim release of a redacted version of the attorney general's report on the Archdiocese of Baltimore. The office will move expeditiously to comply with the court's order and prepare a redacted copy of the report to be released upon review and approval by the court."

Details of the attorney general's four-year, 456-page investigation weren't initially made public because much of the material was obtained through a grand jury. Then-Attorney General Brian Frosh sought the court's permission in November 2022 to waive the grand jury privilege.

The attorney general's motion indicated boys and girls were sexually abused by priests ranging in age from pre-school to young adults. Investigators found 158 clergy members in the Archdiocese of Baltimore abused more than 600 people over the past 80 years.

According to the Judge Robert Taylor Jr.'s order on Friday, the Attorney General's Office will prepare a list of affected people to be presented to the court on March 13 and contact those people, after which time, a redacted version of the report can be released.

A more complete version of the report could be released after court hearings to decide whether some of the documents that identify the affected people should remain sealed.