Jury Request Denied As Deliberations Continue in Clergy Sex Abuse Trial

By Tony Hanson
CBS Philly
June 14, 2012

http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2012/06/14/jury-request-denied-as-deliberations-continue-in-clergy-sex-abuse-trial/


The jury in the clergy sexual abuse case was back at work for an 8th day on Thursday. They were told to rely on their memories in response to questions about critical trial testimony.

As expected, the judge told the jury it can not re-hear days worth of testimony from of several key witnesses, including two men who testified they were abused by priests charged in this case.

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One priest, James Brennan, has pleaded not guilty. Another former priest, Edward Avery pleaded guilty and is now in prison.

In addition to the time factor, the judge told the jury reading such lengthy testimony would not be fair to either side since she indicated there is more to reading the credibility of a witness than just the words.

The jury returned to deliberations, but soon had another request for more trial documents, and that was granted.

In another development, defense attorney William J. Brennan, who represents defendant Father Brennan (no relation), sought a mistrial, claiming the judge should not have allowed the jury to hear, during deliberations, the full statement an alleged victim to a church investigator — a statement that was entered into evidence and cited during the trial — but not read in its entirety.

The motion was denied.