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U.S. NEWS A5
Tuesday 9 February 2016
Senator scrutinizes No new trial for priest convicted of sex tourism
pharma links with
government panel JOE MANDAK vestigator that some oth- the boy’s use of the word which Larson said was con-
Associated Press ers “think badly of me” be- “abuse” referred to one sistent with his trial testimo-
M. PERRONE PITTSBURGH (AP) — A priest cause of his contact with act and not to other abuse ny. Defense attorney Ste-
AP Health Writer who was convicted of sex- Maurizio, before adding, the priest was accused of ven Passarello argued he
WASHINGTON (AP) — A ually assaulting poor street could have used the state-
high-ranking Senate Dem- children during missionary Somerset County Priest Rev. Joseph Maurizio arrives for his evi- ment to cross-examine the
ocrat is scrutinizing links trips to Honduras and said dentiary hearing on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2016, at U.S. District Fed- boy, which he opted not to
between pharmaceutical federal prosecutors wrong- eral Court in Johnstown, Pa. A federal judge heard arguments do absent the statement,
companies and govern- ly withheld evidence in his that prosecutors may have wrongly withheld evidence against and the priest deserved a
ment advisers who recently case won’t get a new trial, Maurizio, convicted of sexually abusing children in Honduras. new trial as a result.
criticized efforts to reduce a judge ruled. Passarello said he’s unsure
painkiller prescribing. The priest, 70-year-old Jo- (Todd Berkey /The Tribune-Democrat via AP) whether he’ll appeal or
Sen. Ron Wyden says he seph Maurizio, was con- ask the judge to delay the
has a “number of con- victed in the sexual tourism “Perhaps they think he re- committing. priest’s sentencing until
cerns” about how pan- case in September. ally abused me, but that The judge agreed with the another appeal plays out.
elists were selected and U.S. District Judge Kim Gib- was not the case.” prosecutor that the boy But the defense attorney
screened for an advisory son rejected his appeal, But the judge agreed with later clarified his statement said he was “very disap-
panel on pain issues that clearing the way for him to Assistant U.S. Attorney to investigators, confirm- pointed” in the ruling and
includes government ex- be sentenced on March 2, Amy Larson, who argued ing the priest fondled him, puzzled that the judge
perts, outside academics barring further appeals. The agreed with the defense
and patient advocates. Johnstown judge found on so much but still refused
Wyden’s inquiry follows a that an accuser’s state- to grant the new trial.
recent Associated Press ment was wrongly with- The judge agreed with
story that found nearly a held but wouldn’t have Passarello that the state-
third of panelists at a De- changed the outcome of ment favored the defense,
cember meeting of the In- the priest’s trial. could have been used to
teragency Pain Research “Given the substantial impeach the accuser, was
Coordinating Committee evidence that exists in this wrongly withheld by pros-
had apparent financial ties case ... the court finds it ecutors and was relevant
to painkiller manufactur- unlikely that a jury at a sec- to whether the priest was
ers, including the maker of ond trial would acquit de- guilty or innocent.
OxyContin. fendant,” he wrote in the Passarello said that, based
“These financial and pro- ruling, issued Monday. on those findings, “I thought
fessional relationships raise The appeal, which prompt- the ending of the opinion
serious concerns about the ed a hearing before the would be different.”
objectivity of the panel’s judge last week, con- But the judge said the rest
members that deserve ad- cerned a statement given of the evidence, including
ditional review,” Wyden by one of the accusers who testimony that another boy
writes in a letter Monday told investigators he wasn’t witnessed the fondling, was
to the head of the De- “abused” by the priest. strong enough to warrant
partment of Health and The boy told a federal in- conviction.q
Human Services. The pain
panel attracted attention Vermont AG drops probe of environmentalist
late last year after several
members bashed a federal DAVE GRAM had prompted a public renewing energy projects. ticular.”
plan to recommend doc- Associated Press outcry from Smith’s sup- She and her supporters Attorney Ritchie Berger,
tors reduce their prescrib- MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — porters and others, includ- maintain the backdrop for who represents major wind
ing of painkillers for chronic The state attorney gener- ing newspaper editorial the complaint against her and solar power develop-
pain. The draft guidelines al’s office has dropped its writers, upset by what they is a Public Service Board er David Blittersdorf, con-
by the Centers for Disease criminal investigation into saw as a legal action de- review process that is too firmed on Monday that he
Control and Prevention are whether an environmental signed to quash someone’s legalistic and unfriendly to was the source of the com-
intended to curb deadly activist operated as a law- free-speech rights. average citizens who want plaint letter to the attorney
overdoses tied to powerful yer without a law license in Smith, who is executive di- their concerns heard. general.
but highly-addictive opioid her advocacy for critics of rector for a group called “What this has done is to He said the complaint was
drugs, including Percocet large-scale wind and so- Vermonters for a Clean expose what an undemo- not an attempt to chill
and Vicodin. Opioid pain- lar power projects before Environment and is not a cratic process we have for Smith’s advocacy.
killers and heroin — which state regulators. lawyer, held a news con- siting renewable energy “Rather, Vermont, like all
is also part of the opioid The office said on Monday ference on Monday at the projects,” said Smith, who states, prohibits non-law-
family — caused 28,650 it had examined the claims Statehouse before a crowd lives in Danby. “It has also, yers from providing legal
fatal overdoses in 2014, against Annette Smith and of nearly 100 cheering sup- I think, brought attention to advice or preparing legal
the highest number ever in decided to take no action. porters. She sharply criti- the playbook and tactics filings,” Berger said in an
the U.S.q News of the investigation cized Vermont’s system for of the wind industry in par- emailed statement.q
