Bishop Thomas J. O'Brien of Phoenix, Arizona, who made an "unprecedented" admission of guilt in exchange for avoiding indictment for obstruction of justice in a series of sex abuse cases, has resigned following his indictment in a fatal hit-and-run incident in which a local man, Jim Lee Reed, 43, died. (Sex Abuse Update).

* Bishop Thomas J. O'Brien of Phoenix, Arizona, who made an "unprecedented" admission of guilt in exchange for avoiding indictment for obstruction of justice in a series of sex abuse cases, has resigned following his indictment in a fatal hit-and-run incident in which a local man, Jim Lee Reed, 43, died. The pope accepted his resignation immediately. As part of O'Brien's plea agreement, he had handed over responsibility for overseeing future abuse cases to two new administrators in the diocese, with the knowledge that if he involved himself in their work, the case against him would be reopened. In a statement before his arrest O'Brien said, "I acknowledge that I allowed Roman Catholic priests under my supervision to work with minors after becoming aware of allegations of sexual misconduct, [and] further acknowledge that priests who had allegations of sexual misconduct made against them were transferred to ministries without full disclosure to their supervisor or to the community in which they were assigned."