California diocese suspends priest over sex allegation

SAN DIEGO (AP) — A Roman Catholic diocese in Southern California has suspended a priest over what it calls a credible accusation that he committed sexual misconduct with a teenage girl in the early 1990s.

The Diocese of San Diego announced Tuesday that it removed Justin Langille after his case was re-examined by the Diocese Independent Review Board.

The diocese closed the case before the board was formed in 2004 after Langille passed a lie detector test. However, it was reopened last month after Bishop Robert McElroy asked the board to review older cases.

The diocese says the review turned up new information that undermined the priest’s denials.

The 65-year-old priest couldn’t be reached for comment. He hasn’t worked full-time in the diocese since 2013 but has assisted on weekends at two parishes.