BALTIMORE (MD)
Sun-Sentinel
By Julie Bykowicz and Ryan Davis
Baltimore Sun staff writers
Posted February 17 2005, 2:03 PM EST
BALTIMORE -- Maurice Blackwell, the recently defrocked Catholic priest accused of molesting a teenager more than 10 years ago, was found guilty on three of four counts of sexual abuse of Dontee Stokes, a former parishioner of St. Edward's Church in West Baltimore who shot the cleric on a city street in 2002.
The jury, which deliberated 5 1/2 hours over two days, found Blackwell not guilty on the first charge of sexual abuse -- relating to Stokes' allegation that the abuse began in 1989 -- but guilty on the other three.
Stokes said the molestation began when he was 13 and continued until he was 17. The jury convicted Blackwell of abusing Stokes in 1990, 1991 and 1992.
Blackwell, 58, faces up to 45 years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 15.
Blackwell left the courthouse without commenting on the outcome of the trial. He remains free until his sentencing.