Wednesday, February 01, 2006
SISTER MARGARET ANN PAHL
the Toledo, Ohio, nun found dead in a hospital chapel with candles surrounding her body which had been posed to look as though she had been raped, will be the subject of a book by a Toldeo Blade editor:
The Blade Religion Editor David Yonke is expected to publish an account of the 1980 murder of Sister Margaret Ann Pahl, and the trial of Father Gerald Robinson.
Tentatively titled "Sin, Shame, and Secrets: Murder and Cover-up in the Catholic Church," the book is expected to be released in September 2006.
Continue reading...
Over in Amy's blog there is a discussion of this Toledo Blade story on the murder:
Davison recently spoke to Toledo Free Press after hearing prosecutors amended the indictment against Robinson, removing the words "with prior calculation and design" from the original grand jury indictment.
"The prosecutor's office, by removing the premeditated murder stipulation, is leaving the door wide open for Robinson to take an Alford plea," he said. "He's going to walk. Whatever sentence they do give him, they are going to put him on shock probation. They are not required to make this public, either."
In an Alford plea, the defendant does not admit the act and asserts innocence, but admits sufficient evidence exists with which the prosecution could likely convince a judge or jury to find the defendant guilty. Upon receiving an Alford plea from a defendant, the court may immediately pronounce the defendant guilty and impose sentence as if the defendant had otherwise been convicted of the crime.
Is this crime going to be hushed up? Davidson, a retired Toledo cop, seems to think so:
"What they are doing is waiting for the interest to die until Robinson's not the flavor of the month anymore," he said. "They are also hoping the guy dies before April so it saves everyone the embarrassment of a public trial."
Looks like Yonke's book is one to put on the wish list.
