MARYLAND
The Gazette
by Jeremy Arias Staff writer
A Clarksburg man who is appealing his second-degree murder conviction for stabbing a priest to death in 2000 must prove that his defense attorneys did not properly represent him at trial.
Robert Paul Lucas’ current attorneys are arguing that his former attorneys should have objected to comments made by prosecutors during closing arguments at his August 2001 trial.
At a hearing Sept. 20, Judge Sharon V. Burrell gave Lucas until Oct. 10 to submit an updated transcript detailing the objectionable statements.
Lucas, 37, was found guilty of the second-degree murder of Monsignor Thomas Wells, 56, a pastor at the Mother Seton Parish in Germantown. Lucas was also found guilty of robbery with a dangerous weapon and first-degree burglary and was ultimately sentenced to 42 and a half years.
Wells was found dead from multiple stab wounds in his bedroom at the Germantown rectory after he was missed during morning mass on June 8, 2000. The wife of Lucas’ employer began to suspect his involvement in the murder about a week later and police arrested him after discovering Lucas wearing boots that matched bloody prints left at the scene, court documents state.
Upon his arrest, Lucas confessed to the murder. During the trial, Lucas said Wells sexually assaulted him after Lucas drunkenly broke into the rectory looking for a place to clean up, Montgomery County Assistant State’s Attorney Ann Bosse said.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.