Priest Grassi Shows Face While Still Wanted

Buenos Aires Herald
September 21, 2013

http://www.buenosairesherald.com/article/141160/priest-grassi-shows-face-while-still-wanted

Julio Grassi.

Summoned to appear in court on Monday

Even when Buenos Aires province Morón district prosecutors Alejandro Varela and Carolina María Rodríguez demanded the “immediate detention” of Catholic priest Julio César Grassi for the sexual abuse of minors, a court in the same BA district summoned Grassi to report himself in court on Monday.

Both Varela and Rodríguez said that they believe that the convicted priest could try to escape. “He has a huge amount of money at his disposal to get away together with ruthless individuals ready to assist him at every time,” the prosecutors said.

However, the Morón court summoned him for a hearing of all the parties involved. The Supreme Court of Buenos Aires province upheld Grassi’s conviction for two cases of aggravated sexual abuse and a third for corruption of minors on Wednesday.

Grassi’s legal advisers announced that they will appeal the 15-year prison sentence before the National Supreme Court .

“To keep the priest free in a social context where citizens are demanding efficiency by the courts is not a minor issue,” argued complainant lawyer Juan Pablo Gallego on behalf of Grassi’s victim.

Grassi continued inside his country house in the Buenos Aires province district of Hurlingham, facing the “Felices los niños” foundation.

The investigation began in 2002 when the news show Telenoche aired a report accusing Grassi of alleged sex abuse against minors under his protection. Seven years later he was sentenced on two of the 17 charges filed against him.

Herald staff with Ámbito.com