Vatican Details US Sex Abuse Defense

The Vatican on Monday will make its most detailed argument yet for why it isn't liable for bishops who allowed priests to molest children in the U.S.

The Associated Press has learned that in a motion to dismiss a lawsuit in Kentucky on jurisdictional grounds, the Holy See is expected to argue that a key Vatican document calling for secrecy in church trials for sex abuse cases was not, as victims' lawyers say, evidence of a Vatican-orchestrated cover-up.

In addition, the Vatican's U.S. attorney, Jeffrey Lena, said Sunday he would assert that bishops aren't its employees under the key factors courts use to determine whether employers are liable for the actions of their workers.

The court's decision could affect new efforts to sue the Vatican in the U.S.