ROCHESTER (NY)
Democrat & Chronicle
Michael Zeigler
Staff writer
(April 3, 2006) — A judge today postponed the trial of a Roman Catholic priest who is charged with fondling a 14-year-old boy.
Jury selection had been scheduled to begin in the trial of the Rev. Dennis Sewar, 54, who is charged with a misdemeanor of third-degree sexual abuse for allegedly touching the boy's clothed genitals in 1999.
But Rochester City Court Judge John E. Elliott indefinitely postponed the trial to allow Sewar's lawyer time to look over a police report and a handwritten statement by the alleged victim that was turned over to the prosecution last week. The prosecution, in turn, gave a copy to the defense.
Sewar will return to court April 26 for possible legal arguments on whether the new material can be used in his trial. Elliott may set a new trial date then.