PENNSYLVANIA
We Are Central PA
Hollidaysburg, Blair County, Pa. – Giles Schinelli, Robert D’Aversa and Anthony Criscitelli appeared in court Wednesday morning for pretrial arguments. The three face conspiracy and child endangerment charges.
Lawyers for the three Friars moved to have the dispute over what their duty entailed as Minister Provisional determined by the judge and not by jury. They say the prosecution’s definition of their duty is too generalized.
The also argued that there is no evidence to suggest that the Friars engaged in a conspiracy. They say there is no documentation of an agreement between them to conspire. The prosecution argued that information about allegations regarding Brother Stephen Baker was available to all three of them and that their course of action indicates a conspiracy.
The defense claims that only Schinelli knew of the allegation against Baker from 1988 that was discovered in 1992. They say that this was never discussed with D’Aversa nor Criscitelli. They say that the evidence suggests that Schinelli took appropriate follow-up action on the allegations and found no further evidence to suggest any wrongdoing by Baker. It’s said that Schinelli then had Baker see a doctor and it was found that there was nothing to suggest that Baker was a pedophile.
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