Chatham Church Janitor Charged with Parish Priest's Murder
A heated topic of discussion lately has been the recent arrest of a Chatham church janitor who is accused of killing a parish priest whose body was found in the church rectory. Apparently, law enforcement in Philadelphia has been looking for the janitor since 1988 due to an alleged indecent assault of a minor. In addition to the charges that he stabbed and killed the priest at Saint Patrick Church, the 64-year-old man is also accused of having more than two aliases and using various social-security numbers and identifications within the years to cover up his past.
According to an nj.com article, the arrested man had been working for the church as a janitor since 1992. Authorities are saying that he became very upset during a discussion with the priest regarding his continuous employment. Even though reports state that the case against this man is “very strong”, a case involving homicide or murder requires precise and accurate procedures relating to investigation, evidence collection, interrogation, and much more.
Having past criminal charges can play a determining factor in an individual’s case when punishment is being decided, especially if this past has been the reason for a person being considered a fugitive. However, even when an accused has a history of criminal charges, he or she is innocent until proven guilty and has the right to a fair trial and legal representation.
As it is defined in New Jersey State Law 2C:11-2, an individual is guilty of criminal homicide if:
- He or she purposely, knowingly and recklessly causes the death of another human being
By definition:
- Criminal homicide is murder, manslaughter or death by auto
The key difference between murder and homicide is that murder implies that a person kills another with the “intent to kill.” Such intentions are not easy to prove and the evidence gathered to support such claims can sometimes be insufficient or inaccurately collected.
If you or someone close to you has been charged with murder, the person who stands accused will need an aggressive and knowledgeable New Jersey murder defense attorney on their side. The criminal defense lawyers at Lependorf & Silverstein have been defending the rights of those accused for a variety of criminal offenses, including murder, for many years and are highly familiar with the ins and outs of local court systems. To find out more about how we can help you during this difficult time, call us today for a free consultation at 609-240-0040.
Source article: http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/10/janitor_charged_in_chatham_pri.html
