Cops Rally around Priest Who Denies Guilt in Little Ferry Gun Case
By Peter J. Sampson
With more than 50 supporters rallying to his side — many of them police officers from departments he had served as chaplain — the pastor of a Little Ferry church pleaded not guilty to child endangerment and assault charges for allegedly pointing an unloaded rifle at a 8-year-old boy last month. The Rev. Kevin Carter stood before a packed courtroom in Hackensack as Judge Louis J. Dinice, the presiding judge in the Central Municipal Court, entered a not guilty plea on his behalf during a hearing that lasted a few minutes. The judge said the case would now be referred to the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office for grand jury action.
Carter, a beloved pastor who was arrested on Friday, allegedly pointed a replica of a Civil War-era rifle at the boy in the rectory of St. Margaret of Cortona Church on Sept. 13. Related: Little Ferry priest accused of pointing rifle at boy expresses concern for child and his family The pastor and his attorney, Harold Cassidy, maintain the incident was nothing more than “good-natured fun” between rival football fans – Carter is an ardent Giants fan, and the boy a Dallas Cowboys fan. They said it had been “misinterpreted” by a parishioner who later reported it to the Archdiocese of Newark, which then contacted the Prosecutor’s Office. A contingent of law enforcement officers from the Port Authority and the Jersey City police departments, which Carter has served as a police chaplain, packed the courtroom wearing civilian clothes and later huddled around the priest as he made a brief statement to reporters expressing concern for the boy and his family. “I can’t believe that he had any evil intent whatsoever,” said a high-ranking police officer from Jersey City, who asked that his name not be published to avoid violating departmental rules. “I don’t believe that he actually pointed the weapon at the kid. I believe somebody misunderstood what they saw.” Related; Little Ferry priest defends gun incident as ‘good-natured’ Carter said he is confident that he will be vindicated and that his reputation will not be diminished in the eyes of the people who know him. He said he is concerned that the charges and the attendant publicity they have generated could be traumatic for the boy and his family. He stressed that nothing happened to put the boy in fear. The pastor also voiced concern for the parishioner, whom some members of his church have branded a “Judas” for writing a letter to the archdiocese 12 days after the incident. Carter called on all members of the parish to be loving to her. Cassidy, who would not allow his client to take any questions from reporters, said the boy’s family had brought him into the pastor’s residence between Masses and that they engaged in “good-natured banter” centering on the Giants-Cowboys game scheduled for later that day. He said the boy had worn a Cowboys jersey to church that day to rib the pastor. A Civil War buff, Carter had already brought out the replica rifle to show a friend and fellow Civil War enthusiast who was speaking at the Masses that day, Cassidy said. The lawyer described the gun as more of a “curiosity item” than a firearm someone would purchase for protection. He insisted that the boy was never put against a wall or frightened by the pastor. The pastor held the gun in his hand and raised it at one point, Cassidy said, noting there are differing accounts of what happened next. “But I don’t believe that he pointed the gun at the boy,” Cassidy said. He said the incident took place between two Masses and that there were at least eight people present in the room, seven of whom did not see anything inappropriate. “We’re confident that Father is going to be vindicated, and we’re just hopeful that at some point quickly these charges will be dismissed,” Cassidy said. “And quite frankly, it looks like at this point that they shouldn’t have been brought.” He added that he believed the charges were filed “in good faith,” noting that prosecutors often handle difficult cases and have “hard calls to make.” “We just hope that as this goes forward, we can come to a point where these charges will be dismissed, and the boy’s family and the boy will not have to go through this.” “The charge that this good and decent man had pointed a gun … with reckless and complete utter disregard for the sanctity of human life could never be supported,” Cassidy said. “And the charge that he was guilty of any kind of child abuse cannot be sustained.” Robert Sbarra, a retired Port Authority police officer, said Carter had helped his department get through troubled times after the 9/11 terrorist attack, in which 37 of the department’s officers were killed. Sbarra said he and fellow officers felt compelled to turn out Tuesday to support Carter. “I don’t think much of this incident,” Sbarra said. “I think it was good-humored. But he’s a priest, and I guess that made it a big story.” Carter, who is free on bail, told his parishioners during Mass on Sunday that he was “shocked and stunned” by the allegations and insisted they are without merit. He said there were a number of witnesses to the “good-natured jesting,” and that unfortunately, one person misinterpreted the exchange. Mary Carol Pizza, 80, of Little Ferry, a lifelong parishioner, said Tuesday that most of the parish applauded after the pastor read his statement at Mass, but that she was not among them. She was unsettled by the fact that he did not express any concern for the boy or his family, or in any way apologize. He did express concern later, but Pizza said: “I think it’s a little late for that. He should have done that on Sunday.” On the allegation, she said, “If it’s true, if he did that, I think it’s horrendous.” She also characterized it as “reckless” and “foolish.” Mark Borchert, a Hudson County sheriff’s officer, noted that Carter is a chaplain for many police departments in the area. “I know he wouldn’t point a firearm at anybody because he knows what damage it can have to human life,” Borchert said. Borchert fatally shot a carjacking suspect in April 2003. Though Borchert was not injured, two other police officers were shot, he said. Carter, a beloved pastor who was arrested on Friday, allegedly pointed a replica of a Civil War-era rifle at the boy in the rectory of St. Margaret of Cortona Church on Sept. 13. Related: Little Ferry priest accused of pointing rifle at boy expresses concern for child and his family The pastor and his attorney, Harold Cassidy, maintain the incident was nothing more than “good-natured fun” between rival football fans – Carter is an ardent Giants fan, and the boy a Dallas Cowboys fan. They said it had been “misinterpreted” by a parishioner who later reported it to the Archdiocese of Newark, which then contacted the Prosecutor’s Office. A contingent of law enforcement officers from the Port Authority and the Jersey City police departments, which Carter has served as a police chaplain, packed the courtroom wearing civilian clothes and later huddled around the priest as he made a brief statement to reporters expressing concern for the boy and his family. “I can’t believe that he had any evil intent whatsoever,” said a high-ranking police officer from Jersey City, who asked that his name not be published to avoid violating departmental rules. “I don’t believe that he actually pointed the weapon at the kid. I believe somebody misunderstood what they saw.” Related; Little Ferry priest defends gun incident as ‘good-natured’ Carter said he is confident that he will be vindicated and that his reputation will not be diminished in the eyes of the people who know him. He said he is concerned that the charges and the attendant publicity they have generated could be traumatic for the boy and his family. He stressed that nothing happened to put the boy in fear. The pastor also voiced concern for the parishioner, whom some members of his church have branded a “Judas” for writing a letter to the archdiocese 12 days after the incident. Carter called on all members of the parish to be loving to her. Cassidy, who would not allow his client to take any questions from reporters, said the boy’s family had brought him into the pastor’s residence between Masses and that they engaged in “good-natured banter” centering on the Giants-Cowboys game scheduled for later that day. He said the boy had worn a Cowboys jersey to church that day to rib the pastor. A Civil War buff, Carter had already brought out the replica rifle to show a friend and fellow Civil War enthusiast who was speaking at the Masses that day, Cassidy said. The lawyer described the gun as more of a “curiosity item” than a firearm someone would purchase for protection. He insisted that the boy was never put against a wall or frightened by the pastor. The pastor held the gun in his hand and raised it at one point, Cassidy said, noting there are differing accounts of what happened next. “But I don’t believe that he pointed the gun at the boy,” Cassidy said. He said the incident took place between two Masses and that there were at least eight people present in the room, seven of whom did not see anything inappropriate. “We’re confident that Father is going to be vindicated, and we’re just hopeful that at some point quickly these charges will be dismissed,” Cassidy said. “And quite frankly, it looks like at this point that they shouldn’t have been brought.” He added that he believed the charges were filed “in good faith,” noting that prosecutors often handle difficult cases and have “hard calls to make.” “We just hope that as this goes forward, we can come to a point where these charges will be dismissed, and the boy’s family and the boy will not have to go through this.” “The charge that this good and decent man had pointed a gun … with reckless and complete utter disregard for the sanctity of human life could never be supported,” Cassidy said. “And the charge that he was guilty of any kind of child abuse cannot be sustained.” Robert Sbarra, a retired Port Authority police officer, said Carter had helped his department get through troubled times after the 9/11 terrorist attack, in which 37 of the department’s officers were killed. Sbarra said he and fellow officers felt compelled to turn out Tuesday to support Carter. “I don’t think much of this incident,” Sbarra said. “I think it was good-humored. But he’s a priest, and I guess that made it a big story.” Carter, who is free on bail, told his parishioners during Mass on Sunday that he was “shocked and stunned” by the allegations and insisted they are without merit. He said there were a number of witnesses to the “good-natured jesting,” and that unfortunately, one person misinterpreted the exchange. Mary Carol Pizza, 80, of Little Ferry, a lifelong parishioner, said Tuesday that most of the parish applauded after the pastor read his statement at Mass, but that she was not among them. She was unsettled by the fact that he did not express any concern for the boy or his family, or in any way apologize. He did express concern later, but Pizza said: “I think it’s a little late for that. He should have done that on Sunday.” On the allegation, she said, “If it’s true, if he did that, I think it’s horrendous.” She also characterized it as “reckless” and “foolish.” Mark Borchert, a Hudson County sheriff’s officer, noted that Carter is a chaplain for many police departments in the area. “I know he wouldn’t point a firearm at anybody because he knows what damage it can have to human life,” Borchert said. Borchert fatally shot a carjacking suspect in April 2003. Though Borchert was not injured, two other police officers were shot, he said.
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