February 18, 2005

Stokes says now he's able to move forward

BALTIMORE (MD)
Baltimore Sun

By Jill Rosen
Sun Staff
Originally published February 18, 2005
As Dontee Stokes strode slowly down the courthouse steps yesterday, a smile spread across his face, just as his longtime attorney flashed a thumbs-up sign.
"Thank God, thank God, thank God," Stokes murmured, as much to himself as to the media swarming him. "This is over."

Maurice Blackwell had just been found guilty of molesting Stokes years ago, back when Blackwell was a priest at St. Edward Roman Catholic Church in West Baltimore and Stokes led the youth group there.

Though this wasn't Stokes' trial - the Baltimore barber was acquitted in 2002 of the attempted murder of Blackwell - in many ways it might as well have been.

During the weeklong trial, Stokes' sanity, his sexuality and his very credibility were kicked around and questioned. And in the years leading up to it, his life was on pause, his future hanging on the outcome of this case.

Posted by kshaw at February 18, 2005 04:02 AM