The trial against the former cardinal accused of sexual abuse in the U.S. has been suspended due to "deficiencies in his memory"

AP

A judge in the United States has determined that former cardinal Theodore McCarrick, who faces charges of sexual abuse and is considered the highest-ranking cleric in the U.S. Catholic Church to face such accusations, is not competent to stand trial due to "deficiencies in his memory."

McCarrick, 93, had his clerical state removed in 2019 following a Vatican investigation that found evidence he had sexually abused children and adults, including seminarians, over decades.

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In the United States, McCarrick faces litigation in two states: Massachusetts and Wisconsin. In Massachusetts, he is accused of sexually abusing a minor under the age of 16 in 1974 during a wedding reception. 

However, Judge Paul McCallum ruled that McCarrick cannot be brought to trial due to his "insufficient mental state" to face the legal process. In this context, defense experts argued that McCarrick suffers from dementia, possibly related to Alzheimer's disease.

Although the case in Massachusetts has been dismissed due to McCarrick's memory deficiencies and inability to retain information, the litigation in Wisconsin will continue.

McCarrick was an archbishop in Newark, New Jersey, and Washington D.C. He was also elevated to the rank of cardinal in 2001. 

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Despite numerous allegations against him, these are the only two cases that have reached U.S. courts, as many of the alleged offenses have exceeded the statute of limitations.