By Peggy Wright
MyCentralJersey
December 22, 2011
http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20111222/NJNEWS10/312220018/Jury-rejects-passion-defense-finds-janitor-guilty-of-murder-in-death-of-Chatham-priest
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| Morristown -- 12/22/2011 -- Jose Feliciano is found guilty of all charges in the murder of Father Ed Hinds -- Jose Feliciano is framed between his defense team, Neill Hamilton, left and Balin Baidwan, right. photo by Karen Fucito/Special to the Daily Record MOR 1222 Jose Verdict |
A Morris County jury found ex-janitor Jose Ramon Feliciano guilty today of murder in the death of the Rev. Edward Hinds in the rectory at St. Patrick R.C. Church in Chatham.
The 66-year-old killer, who has two alleged child molestation charges in his past, now faces the rest of his life in prison for stabbing the 61-year-old cleric 44 times on Oct. 22, 2009.
Feliciano had claimed he was guilty of killing the priest in the throes of passion or provocation but the jury of eight men and four women rejected the defense, agreeing with Morris County prosecutors that Feliciano deliberately murdered Hinds, robbed him of his cellular phone and tried to cover up with his crime.
Feliciano, who was among a few church employees who “found” the priest dead on his kitchen floor around 8 a.m. on Oct. 23, 2009, had faked life-saving CPR on the cleric. He showed no visible reaction to the verdict, which was reached at 10 a.m. today but read around 10:45 a.m. to a packed courtroom in Morristown.
The jury deliberated four hours on Wednesday and one hour today. Jurors declined comment except for jury foreman Ray Klapal of Randolph, who called the decision-making process “very tough.”
“The witnesses said it all, most of the witnesses,” Klapal said. He declined further comment.
Feliciano himself was on the stand for eight days and not a single witness corroborated any of his testimony, including his assertion that he sought counseling for abuse he suffered as a child by a priest in Brooklyn. The counselor testified that Feliciano never talked about priest abuse, just discussed being in a gang as a youth and his desire to buy a home for his family.
The verdict declared Feliciano guilty of murder, felony murder, two counts of robbery, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of a weapon and hindering apprehension. Sentencing will take place in February.
“I am proud and honored to have been part of a process to vindicate Father Hinds’ murder and the slander of his reputation, which obviously the jury soundly did not believe,” Morris County Prosecutor Robert Bianchi said in a statement after the verdict.
“I can think of no greater Christmas gift to Father Hinds’ soul, and for those that loved and respected him that this conviction happens at Christmas time.”
Hinds’ cousin, Daniel Silas Miller, who attended every day of the two month trial, said the verdict was correct.
“It’s a shame that this pig was able to take such a precious commodity from our family and the community,” Miller said. “Ed Hinds was a good man and I certainly hope the verdict here shows that everything this man said were lies and a farce to save his own skin.”
But Miller, accompanied by his wife, Carol Ann, said he feels sorry for Feliciano’s children. At the time of the murder, the janitor’s grade-school daughter was a student at St. Patrick’s and the parish welcomed her return to classes there after the shock of the homicide. Feliciano’s son was a teenager at the time but attending high school in Pennsylvania.
The R.C. Diocese of Paterson issued a statement of thanks after the verdict.
“The verdict declaring that Jose Feliciano was guilty of the murder of Father Edward Hinds brings at least some closure to the grieving of his family, the parishioners of St. Patrick in Chatham, his friends, and the entire diocese. Father Hinds suffered a brutal and painful death. We continue to pray for him that he enjoy the reward of being a great priest and shepherd of souls.”
“The diocese thanks Robert Bianchi, the Morris County Prosecutor, his staff and all law enforcement officials who were part of the investigation and trial. They accomplished their work with honor, integrity and diligence,” the statement said.
Feliciano, of Easton, Pa., admitted stabbing the pastor of St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church in Chatham but claims he killed in a homicidal rage because the priest sexually abused him for five years and then abruptly fired him on Oct. 22, 2009.
The defense tactic was to put the priest on trial, accusing him of having knowledge of a criminal secret in Feliciano’s past and using that information to extort sex from the church custodian.
No trial witnesses for the defense or prosecution corroborated Feliciano’s account of an illicit relationship. A detective was called to testify that he analyzed data going back to 2003 on Hinds’ personal and office computers and found no traces of any pornographic material or personal communications between the priest and Feliciano.
Bianchi had argued that a priest who sexually exploited another man was likely to have visited some porn sites but the slain priest’s computers showed no such pursuits.
Feliciano faces life in prison with no chance of parole.
Peggy Wright: 973-267-1142; pwright@ njpressmedia.com
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