Emmett,
I honestly don't know in what form accountability may come, but come it must.  Personally, I think that the laity MUST have a major, if not THE major voice in the process.  That letter demanded by the bishop may be deemed extortion under civil law, while being almost admirable under Canon Law for all I know.  I think we are rapidly approaching a point where there is little that any internal and closed system in the church could do that would be trusted by the laity.

The bishops clearly have had NO problem sacrificing victims so as to protect themselves and "the church."  Yet they have no stomach for applying the same to themselves.

I think this has gone well beyond the lack of discernment by a local bishop.  The simple truth is that these guys CAN and DO operate as they wish, with little reason to care what others may think.  Silence is a weapon for these guys, as is the secular legal system.

The church really does deserve better.