By Henrik Karoliszyn and Larry Mcshane
New York Daily News
October 29, 2009
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2009/10/29/2009-10-29_suspect_in_brutal_murder_of_nj_priest_church_janitor_jose_feliciaano_held_on_1m_.html
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| Jose Feliciano, left, the suspect in the brutal slaying of a New Jersey priest, is lead into Superior Court in Morristown, N.J. for a bail hearing. Photo by Sciarrino/The Star-Ledger |
The church janitor charged with murdering a beloved New Jersey priest had a criminal past including assault charges and the use of several aliases, prosecutors said Thursday.
Jose Feliciano employed "multiple names ... as well as multiple Social Security numbers and multiple dates of birth," Prosecutor Leslie Ward said at a bail hearing.
The 64-year-old suspect was ordered held in lieu of $1 million cash bail in the Oct. 22 stabbing death of the Rev. Ed Hinds inside the rectory at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Chatham.
The pastor was stabbed 32 times during the brutal assault. Hinds and Feliciano discussed the janitor's possible firing one day before the slaying, court papers showed.
Ward said there was an open warrant against Feliciano dating to 1988 in Philadelphia, and he said his past arrests included a pair of assaults and "corruption of a minor."
Among the suspect's aliases, Ward said, were the names Jose Ramon and Carlos Feliciano.
Court officers held the shaky Feliciano by his belt until he could take a seat in the Morristown, N.J., courtroom for the hearing.
The suspect nodded uncertainly when asked whether he understood the charges. He remained silent, staring at the floor, for much of the hearing.
Feliciano is accused of first-degree murder, two counts of weapons possession and one count of trying to destroy evidence.
Prosecutors said he tried to cover up the heinous slaying by ditching the murder weapon and the slain priest's cell phone.
Contact: lmcshane@nydailynews.com
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