Prosecutors as bishops
Kent Larsen linked to this article about our continued reliance on unpaid local clergy. It includes the following bit on a particular bishop:
When Rands was asked by the Fountain stake president to become a ward bishop, he knew he’d face a conflict of interest with his job as a Fourth Judicial District deputy district attorney. As bishop, Rands would be hearing confessions from ward members, but as a deputy DA, he was sworn to report knowledge of a crime. So if someone confessed a crime to him, Rands would be obligated to report it to authorities.
Rands resolved the conflict by resigning from the DA’s office. He became 18th Ward bishop in April. To make ends meet, he opened his own law practice.
I’d never thought about this before. Is this really an unresolvable conflict? Do we not have any prosecutors as bishops? What about cops? Judges?
"You're not going to believe what this guy confessed to me."
Filed under: Deseret Review | Tags: bishops, conflict of interest, prosecutors
Adam Greenwood
July 27, 2009
It would save time. The bishop wouldn’t have to try to talk you in to turning yourself over to the authorities.
John Mansfield
July 27, 2009
My bishop from when I was 17 was a deputy DA. I never heard of any conflict.
GST
July 27, 2009
John, did you ever confess murder to him?
Vader
July 27, 2009
Hey, what’s this about John killing someone?
Ben Pratt
July 27, 2009
It was me. He killed me.
Fortunately I’m back for yet another of my Multiple Mortal Probations.
Vader
July 27, 2009
You’re telling us he killed you, but you got better?
Last time I had access to CHI, it had specific instructions for bishops who had conflicting duties due to being officers of the court. Wish I could remember the details.