BALTIMORE (MD)
Baltimore Sun
The Associated Press
Originally published December 10, 2004, 3:50 PM EST
A judge today denied a request by a priest's attorney to conduct a psychological examination of the man who accuses the cleric of sexually abusing him.
Baltimore Circuit Judge John Glynn said a psychological evaluation by a doctor selected by the defense could be hard to explain to the jury. Glynn said he thought the evaluation would be "contrary to the interests of justice."
"It's hard to imagine how that would help the jury," the judge said.
The Rev. Maurice Blackwell, 58, is accused of sexually abusing Dontee Stokes, 28, who shot Blackwell about a decade after the alleged abuse. Blackwell is scheduled to go on trial Jan. 3.