Pastor recorded fessing up to sex abuse

PHOENIX — The Arizona Supreme Court reinstated a trial court’s ruling that a pastor could not suppress a secret recording of him telling his co-pastor, who was also his brother-in-law, that he had secretly watched a minor girl — the co-pastor’s 13-year-old niece — in the shower, as well as hugged, kissed and “touched” her. The pastor says he was acting in his professional capacity, making a confession to a member of the clergy, so the clergy-penitent privilege applied. But there was sufficient evidence to show the conversation did not constitute a confession: he talked about protecting his reputation, minimizing the consequences of his actions and even the possibility of fleeing from law enforcement. He was not seeking absolution from his co-pastor.Read the ruling here.Subscribe to our free newslettersOur weekly newsletter Closing Arguments offers the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world, while the monthly Under the Lights dishes the legal dirt from Hollywood, sports, Big Tech and the arts.Additional Reads