PHILADELPHIA (PA)
Philadelphia Inquirer
JOSEPH A. SLOBODZIAN, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
LAST UPDATED: Wednesday, March 11, 2015
For the second time in 12 months, a Philadelphia jury was unable to reach a verdict in the trial of Catholic priest accused of sexually assaulting a 10-year-old altar boy almost 18 years ago in a Bridesburg parish.
The Common Pleas Court jury of 10 women and 2 men hearing the trial of Rev. Andrew McCormick, 58, announced Wednesday that it was hung. The mistrial came one day shy of a year since the last mistrial.
McCormick’s face reddened as he heard the jury foreman respond “no verdict” to each of the five counts against him: involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, sexual assault, child endangerment, corruption of a minor, and indecent assault of a minor under 13.
But afterward, the priest of 33 years seemed upbeat, wishing court staff a happy Easter as he signed a subpoena to appear at an April 10 hearing. That is the date when the District Attorney’s Office must decide if it will try McCormick a third time.
Until then, Judge Gwendolyn N. Bright refused to lift the gag order barring Assistant District Attorney Kristen Kemp and defense attorney Trevan Borum and the principals and witnesses from speaking to reporters.
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