Bill Conlin, Famed Sportswriter, Accused of Molestation
Celebrated sports writer Bill Conlin, has been accused of molestation by a new report.
The claims come in a report from the Philadelphia Inquirer. Earlier reports stated that Conlin had retired from his position Tuesday afternoon at the Philadelphia Daily News, in anticipation of the story.
CBS confirmed the retirement with the Philadelphia Daily News, clarifying that Conlin has retired and not resigned.
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The story, published at 4:13 p.m today, say three women and one man have accused Conlin of molestation. According to the report by Nancy Phillips in The Philadelphia Inquirer, “The four say Conlin groped and fondled them, and touched their genitals, in assaults in the 1970s, when they were from ages 7 to 12.”
The accusations have come out in light of the sexual abuse scandal involving Jerry Sandusky, a former football coach at Penn State University. Conlin's alleged victims cited Sandusky's case as their reason for coming forward. However, prosecutors will not be able to pursue the case because it falls under the statute of limitations, according to reports.
In response to the allegations, Daily News editor Larry Platt told the Philadelphia Inquirer, "I can't even begin to express the shock, sadness, and outrage I feel by what Bill Conlin is alleged to have done."
Parents of the victims have corroborated the accusations. Kelley Blanchet, a niece of Conlin's, is one of the accusers. Her father, Harry Hasson, explained he was angry and confronted Conlin after his daughter said she was molested. “He swore to me that he just touched her leg. Then all of a sudden, he started crying,” he said.
Another accuser, Karen Healey, told the Philadelphia Inquirer that she was surprised at how everyone had reacted. "Nobody called the cops," said Healey. "Everyone went back to living their lives.”
The alleged victims have come forward with their story in hopes of giving other victims of sexual abuse the courage to speak-up.
Conlin has worked at the Daily News since 1965. “Mr. Conlin is obviously floored by the allegations... He has engaged me to do everything possible to bring the true facts forward and to vindicate his name,” his lawyer said in a statement.
Conlin is a Philadelphia native and long-time sports writer with a focus on baseball. In 2011, he received the J.G. Taylor Spink Award from the Baseball Writers' Association of America. He was also inducted into the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame in 2009.
