Two teenagers plead not guilty in case of beaten Catholic priest in Springfield
Decatur, Illinois -
Two teenagers pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges of aggravated battery in connection with the beating of a priest who formerly served Holy Family Parish in Decatur.
Jamie E. Gibson, 17, and Ryan Boyle, 15, waived rights to preliminary hearings and entered not guilty pleas in Sangamon County Circuit Court.
The teenagers face two counts of aggravated battery each in connection with an alleged December attack on Monsignor Eugene Costa, 54. Springfield police earlier said the alleged beating left the Roman Catholic priest unconscious with "life-threatening" injuries.
Springfield police have declined to comment why the priest was attacked or why he was at Douglas Park.
Costa resigned from active ministry earlier this month to focus on recovery and to deal with "previous instances of inappropriate and risky behavior," the diocese announced earlier this month.
"Some behavior, while not illegal, is certainly immoral, especially for someone who has taken an oath of celibacy," Sass said.
Costa remains a priest but resigned as diocese chancellor and pastor of parishes in Athens and Sherman. Costa served as pastor of Holy Family Parish in Decatur from 1987 to 1993.
The diocese is unaware of any inappropriate contact with minors or behavior that would violate the church's "zero tolerance" policies regarding sexual abuse of children and youths, Sass said.
The next court appearance for Gibson and Boyle is Feb. 22.
Read te article at Herald & Review Newspaper Website - Decatur, Illinois dated January 28, 2005
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Two teenagers pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges of aggravated battery in connection with the beating of a priest who formerly served Holy Family Parish in Decatur.
Jamie E. Gibson, 17, and Ryan Boyle, 15, waived rights to preliminary hearings and entered not guilty pleas in Sangamon County Circuit Court.
The teenagers face two counts of aggravated battery each in connection with an alleged December attack on Monsignor Eugene Costa, 54. Springfield police earlier said the alleged beating left the Roman Catholic priest unconscious with "life-threatening" injuries.
Springfield police have declined to comment why the priest was attacked or why he was at Douglas Park.
Costa resigned from active ministry earlier this month to focus on recovery and to deal with "previous instances of inappropriate and risky behavior," the diocese announced earlier this month.
"Some behavior, while not illegal, is certainly immoral, especially for someone who has taken an oath of celibacy," Sass said.
Costa remains a priest but resigned as diocese chancellor and pastor of parishes in Athens and Sherman. Costa served as pastor of Holy Family Parish in Decatur from 1987 to 1993.
The diocese is unaware of any inappropriate contact with minors or behavior that would violate the church's "zero tolerance" policies regarding sexual abuse of children and youths, Sass said.
The next court appearance for Gibson and Boyle is Feb. 22.
Read te article at Herald & Review Newspaper Website - Decatur, Illinois dated January 28, 2005
posted by God Almighty Himself at 11:33 PM
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