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Mn Supreme Court Upholds Conviction of Priest

KARE
November 6, 2013

http://www.kare11.com/news/article/1044872/396/MN-Supreme-Court-upholds-conviction-of-priest


[the court decision]

ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Minnesota Supreme Court issued a ruling Wednesday that upholds the conviction of a priest on third degree sexual assault.

The decision means Christopher Wenthe will not receive a new trial on charges he repeatedly had sexual relations with a 21-year-old parishioner he was allegedly counseling.

The priest admitted having a relationship with the woman, who was struggling with bulimia and past sexual abuse, but said it did not happen while he was giving her counsel. Wenthe was an assistant priest at Nativity Catholic Church in St. Paul during the time of the sexual relationship.

Wenthe was convicted in 2011 and sentenced to 57 months in prison, but was granted a new trial by the Minnesota Court of Appeals in 2012 when the Minnesota Court of Appeals found that the religious evidence used against Wenthe violated his constitutional rights.

In today's ruling the Supreme Court disagreed 4-1, saying that a law banning sexual encounters between a member of the clergy and someone he or she is offering counsel does not excessively entangle religion in the legal process. 

Ramsey County Attorney John Choi, whose office successfully prosecuted Wenthe, praised the Supreme Court's decision.

"We are very pleased with the Minnesota Supreme Court's 4 to 1 decision today in State v. Wenthe. The decision will provide clarity in prosecuting these types of cases in the future and ensures that police and prosecution can enforce criminal sexual conduct laws against clergy who use their position of authority and power to sexually prey upon vulnerable victims," Choi said in a written statement.

"In obtaining a jury conviction at trial, Ramsey County prosecutors in this case painstakingly followed the prior Minnesota Supreme Court ruling in State v. Bussman to avoid the constitutional issues raised by the Respondent. We are glad that the Minnesota Supreme Court recognized this fact."




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