NEW JERSEY
NJ.com
By Paul Milo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on July 24, 2015
MORRISTOWN — A judge ruled Friday that a defamation suit filed by a Roman Catholic priest against a fellow cleric can proceed, the Daily Record reported.
Superior Court Judge Robert J. Brennan denied a request to dismiss the suit filed by the Rev. Frank Hreno, 52, who was charged April 14, 2014, with threatening to kill Rev. Emeka Okwuosa at the Vocationist Retreat and Conference Center in Florham Park.
Okwuoso also claimed Hreno stabbed him with a four-foot crucifix, but Hreno was never charged with that offense and was later admitted into Morris County’s pre-trial intervention program, which allows some first-time offenders to avoid a criminal record.
In his suit, Hreno states the claim about the attack was defamatory and manufactured. The suit also alleges Okwuosa spit in Hreno’s face, wrote checks to himself using Hreno’s checkbook, used Hreno’s credit cards and also damaged cars Hreno was authorized to use.
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