MA priest cleared of sex abuse allegation

The Boston Archdiocese says a priest accused of sexually abusing a minor in the 1970s has been cleared of wrongdoing and returned to ministry.

In April, the Rev. Charles J. Murphy stepped down from his post at St. Francis Xavier Parish in Weymouth while the archdiocese investigated the charge.

On Wednesday, the archdiocese said the charge against Murphy was found to be unsubstantiated. The case was investigated by the Archdiocesan Review Board, an advisory committee which includes clergy sex abuse victims, parents and a judge.

The attorney for the victim, Mitchell Garabedian, called the board a "kangaroo court" that's biased in favor of the archdiocese. He said his client was interviewed by archdiocesan investigators, but never questioned by the board.

Garabedian said his client was disappointed by the decision.