TLC: Prosecution Rests Case Against Central New York Priest

It is essential that all the paperwork be submitted properly and by the deadline.

Ask South Carolina.

Before the trial began, Carter Strickland, the presiding judge, excluded most of the evidence and all of the witnesses for the prosecution because it missed the discovery phase filing deadline by more than two weeks.

I guess they figured rules are relative and they can do to them as TEC has done to the Bible. Boy, I bet they were surprised, I bet they’ll be even more surprised when the me the Supreme Judge.

Call me crazy here, but shouldn’t this whole thing be dismissed, since the prosecution has the burden of proof and all?

The evidence, and maybe even a witnesses or two are probably buried out at Thornfield, which was the diocesan retreat center they bulldozed into the ground. This event was a testimony to the spiritual failure of this diocese going back to Griswold’s old buddy, +O’Kelley Witaker.

You may want to check out the following to see an example of the kind of retreats they used to offer at Thornfield:

Thornfield Conference on Adolescent Sexual Health

You know what they say, Bishop Adams. “Nothing succeeds like success!”

It is nice to see that TEC isn’t getting to write the rules on this one. BUt, I’m notholding my breath! Brad Drell bring up an interesting question. How much evidence is enough to bare the burden of proof on the prosecutions part? Or does the ecclesiastical court work like the secular courts do?

The rules of Evidence must not apply; I don’t see how they can introduce ANY of their paper evidence if ALL their actual witnesses have been excluded.

Prosecution “rests”—-or sags?

So, if the Prosecution can’t prove Fr. Bollinger’s guilt, are they now in fact relying on the Defense’s inability to prove his innocence? 

Ops! Wrong country!  ;^)

The only evidence it was allowed to submit were the allegations made in the presentment charges

If there is no evidence admitted to back up allegations in the charges it is very hard to see how a Court could find that there is a case to answer unless it sees itself as having an investigatory role as is the case in France. 

It is hard to see how things could have been worse for the prosecution if they had disclosed the report as ordered.

This might be a little off-topic, but the previous comment re:  +Whitaker reminded me of the days following my father’s last major stroke in 1989, when +Whitaker was dean of the cathedral in Orlando (DioCenFla), and my father sang in the choir.  The stroke left my father in a coma he wasn’t supposed to come out of (an alpha coma for those who know), so when Whitaker came to visit us in the hospital he counseled us a little on end-of-life concerns, but never once prayed with us.  This bothered me, but so much else was going on I didn’t have time to truly deal with that.  Through prayer chains started by others in the choir, cathedral parish, and freinds God brought my father out of his coma (within a couple of weeks of Easter that year) and even though not fully rehabilitated is still alive today.

I hadn’t realized that Whitaker and Griz were buddies, but knowing that now makes things more clear for me now.  In a brand new way I see a huge difference in the ways that God will work His wonders—when called on by the faithful, it can be starkly obvious; I still wonder whether Whitaker, the one in the collar, even tried.

By the accounts I’ve read of this case, I can see that it was more the next thing, not a real stretch, that +Adams was elected to succeed +Whitaker.  It was to be expected.

God help us, and that right early.  Please.  You brought my father back to life with us when we should have lost him; do the same for the Church you sent your Son to build.  Soon.

rustybud—Amen!

I guess the gloves didn’t fit….....so they must….......