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	Day by Day Account of Fr. Robinson Trial Day by Day Account of the Trial in Progress 13 ABC April 21, 2006 http://abclocal.go.com/wtvg/story?section=local&id=4111853 April 21--TOLEDO, Ohio -- A letter opener with a diamond-shaped blade found in the room of priest accused of killing a nun in a hospital chapel was an exact match with the wounds found on the nun's chest, a prosecutor said Friday. And the tip fits exactly with a small hole in the jaw of Sister Margaret Ann Pahl who was strangled and stabbed a day before Easter in 1980, Lucas County Assistant Prosecutor Dean Mandros said in opening statements of the priest's trial. "Fits like a key in a lock," he said. The Rev. Gerald Robinson, 68, is accused of strangling and stabbing Pahl, 71, in the chapel at the hospital where they worked together. The priest presided at her funeral Mass four days after her death. Investigators who reopened the murder case after two decades say they found bloodstains on an altar cloth that matched those from the sword-shaped letter opener. They said the stains were created when the letter opener was laid down on the cloth that covered part of the nun's body. Prosecutors said they will not try to prove a motive in the killing during the trial. Defense attorney Alan Konop said inconsistencies in statements made by witnesses over the last two decades will leave doubt in the minds of the jurors about who committed the crime. "Pieces of the prosecutor's puzzle do not fit," he said. Investigators within the last two years tested a foreign substance found on the nun's undergarments and took samples from underneath her fingernails, and neither matched Robinson's DNA, he said. Her body was exhumed two years ago to gather DNA samples. One of prosecutors' biggest concerns is whether the jury will be able to look past the defendant's white priest collar. Employees at the Mercy Hospital in Toledo described Robinson to police as a loner, Mandros said. Robinson, the hospital chaplain, worked closely with the nun, who was the caretaker of the chapel. A hospital worker will testify that Sister Pahl was upset "to the point of tears" over the way Robinson conducted Good Friday services, Mandros said. Suspicions have swirled that the killing of Sister Pahl was some kind of ritual slaying. A detective in the case said after Robinson's arrest that the nun's murder was part of a "ceremony" that took place in the chapel. Sister Pahl was stabbed 31 times, including nine times in the shape of an upside down cross, Mandros said. She had been strangled so hard that the blood vessels in her eyes burst, he said. Robinson was a suspect early on because he was near the chapel at the time of the killing. He was arrested in April 2004 a few months after prosecutors received a letter about a woman's claims that she was molested by priests as a child. Among the names she mentioned was Robinson. Police were unable to substantiate her allegations of sexual abuse. Prosecutors used a video board in the courtroom to show a black-and-white photo of Sister Pahl and a color photo of Robinson taken around 1980, showing a youthful-looking priest with dark hair before he grayed. Robinson appeared relaxed before lawyers began their statements. He even managed a laugh at one of his lawyer's jokes. Among his supporters in the courtroom were a priest and his brother. Robinson was transferred from the hospital a year after the slaying and became pastor at three parishes in Toledo. At the time of his arrest he ministered to the sick and dying in nursing homes. Friday afternoon the jury toured the chapel where the nun was found and the room where Robinson, a hospital chaplain, lived. Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights ReservedApril 20-- It's been 26 years since the murder, two years since Father Robinson was arrested and now several days since the beginning of jury selection, but the process has now wrapped up. After four days the men and women who will decide, have been chosen. It consist of ten men, six women, twelve white, two black, and four people that are catholic. The jury was questioned in a group today, that included religious and catholic beliefs. Opening statements are set for Friday, and testimonies are going to be underway Monday morning. The trial could last for a month. Between the opening statements and the testimonies, the jury will take a trip to the scene of the crime at the former Mercy Hospital in downtown Toledo. April 19--Could the man in the collar be a cold-blooded killer? It may be hard to believe for some, but on Wednesday, attorneys were hoping to find unbiased jurors. Thirty potential jurors were asked several questions by the prosecution, the defense and the judge, relating to their religious beliefs, "And the fact that we have a Roman Catholic priest, do you hold them in higher esteem than you do other people?" and views of the Roman Catholic Church, "Regardless of the fact that you are Catholic, would you follow the law as the judge gives it to you?" Wedensday, the defense did show concern about what the potential jurors watched on TV and read in the papers, "and there was nothing about what you read that would at all influence you whatsoever, in terms of this case. Is that correct?" The trial has attracted a number of national media outlets, including CNN and Court TV. The case has been the focus of local news stories for years, so potential jurors were asked about their exposure to that extensive pre-trial publicity. Judge Thomas Osowik asked, "As a result of anything you've heard, have you arrived at a decision about the guilt or innocence of this defendant?" The trial is expected to last up to a month, so potential jurors were asked about their families and work commitments. After hours of questioning, the prosecution and the defense dismissed four potential jurors based on their answers to some of those questions, including one woman who was dismissed because she is pregnant. Tomorrow more jurors will be interviewed until the defense and the prosecution can settle on the final twelve who will decide Father Robinson's fate. Both sides handed out an updated witness list and there is quite a difference in numbers between the two sides. The prosecution lists about 90 witnesses it plans to interview and the defense has submitted a list of 27 witnesses. Both lists contain several experts, among them; Henry Lee, Paulette Sutton and Kathleen Reichs, all nationally known experts in forensics and crime scene investigation. Also, both prosecution and defense list several witnesses with religious affiliations, including nuns and at least two priests. Even though 30 men and women were questioned Wednesday, attorneys agreed they needed to question more potential jurors Thursday morning. There are too many "soft numbers," meaning there are issues with employers, child care and compensation. Individual questioning of potential jurors is expected to wrap up and then some general questioning will follow, with opening arguments expected to start on Friday and actual testimony getting underway on Monday.
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