OHIO
Star Beacon
Posted: Saturday, December 27, 2014 12:00 am
By DAVE DELUCA / ddeluca@starbeacon.com
GENEVA — Charges against a priest accused of assault and disorderly conduct against have been dropped.
Western County Court Judge David A. Schroeder ruled the charges against Fr. Robert M. Lanterman, pastor of Assumption Church be dismissed on Monday.
Lanterman was charged with one count of misdemeanor assault and one count of misdemeanor disorderly conduct on Sept. 19. The complainant in the case said Lanterman pushed and grabbed her and subjected her to verbal abuse in church after mass that day.
At a pretrial hearing on Dec. 10, the city of Geneva moved to dismiss the case. City Solicitor Lauren Gardner stated on the record that the city could not prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt, and therefore moved the court for dismissal.
The court allowed Valerie Ferrante, identified as the victim of the alleged assault, to address the court. She referred to the incident, stating she was “physically aggressed” by Lanterman, who she said was also verbally hostile toward her.
During her statement she also recited several sections of the rules of the Youngstown Diocese pertaining to child protection and standings of ministerial behavior. Lanterman’s attorney, William Bobulksy, objected and the court sustained the objection on the basis that church rules were irrelevant to this criminal proceeding.
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