BALTIMORE (MD)
WJZ
Feb 20, 2005 7:33 pm US/Eastern
Just days after the verdict against Maurice Blackwell his former congregation begins dealing with the fallout. A Baltimore City jury convicted the former priest on three of four counts of child sex abuse. Blackwell was found guilty of abusing Dontee Stokes more than ten years ago, when Stokes served as an altar boy at St. Edwards Catholic Church in the late 80's and early 90's.
Stokes shot Blackwell on a Baltimore street a decade later, when Stokes confronted his former priest and asked for an apology.
Today, members of St. Edwards would not comment on the verdict, but one neighbor who lives near the church tells Eyewitness News, the situation is troubling. Steven Miller says, "Out of respect for the church, neighbors and parishioners are hush-hush about the whole thing, but the verdict speaks for itself".