NEW JERSEY
The Jersey Journal
Thursday, March 23, 2006
By MICHAELANGELO CONTE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER
The defrocked Roman Catholic priest charged with trying to assault three people with an aluminum bat in a Secaucus hotel this month was to make his first appearance in court on the charges yesterday but didn't show up.
James T. Hanley, 69, was issued a summons by Secaucus police on a weapons offense and three counts of attempted aggravated assault on employees of Extended Stay America on March 10, officials said.
Although he was supposed to appear, it is the policy of Central Judicial Processing Court not to issue an arrest warrant unless there is evidence of "willful non-appearance," said Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio.
Judge Dennis L. McGill said he does not issue warrants for people who fail to appear for initial hearings.