Vatican Abuse Trial: Prosecution Requests Jail Time for Defendants
The Vatican’s prosecutor requested a sentence of eight years in prison, reduced to four years, for 28-year-old defendant Father Gabriele Martinelli, who is accused of sexually assaulting a slightly younger student at the pre-seminary over a period of six years.
As a nine-month abuse and cover-up trial comes to a close, a prosecutor has asked the Vatican’s court to sentence defendants to jail time.
The tribunal listened to lawyers’ closing arguments during two hearings on July 15 and July 16 in a trial against a former student and former rector at a youth seminary inside Vatican City.
The Vatican’s prosecutor requested a sentence of eight years in prison, reduced to four years, for 28-year-old defendant Father Gabriele Martinelli, who is accused of sexually assaulting a slightly younger student at the pre-seminary over a period of six years.
The school’s former rector, 72-year-old Father Enrico Radice, is also on trial on charges of impeding investigations into the abuse allegations against Father Martinelli. The prosecutor asked that Father Radice be sentenced to four years in prison.
Both of the accused have asserted their innocence of the charges. Their lawyers asked on July 15-16 for their full acquittal.
The court is scheduled to rule on Oct. 6.
The alleged abuse is said to have taken place at the Pius X pre-seminary, a residence for about a dozen boys aged 12 to 18 who serve at papal Masses and other liturgies in St. Peter’s Basilica and are considering the priesthood.
The Vatican announced in May that Pope Francis had decided to move the pre-seminary to a location outside of Vatican City State beginning in September.
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