Mistrial Declared In Retrial Of Suspended Philadelphia Priest
By Steve Tawa
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – For the second time in two years, a mistrial has been declared in the sexual assault trial of a suspended Philadelphia priest. He was accused of abusing a 10-year-old altar boy in 1997, in the rectory of a parish in the Bridesburg section.
After about 20 hours of deliberations over three days, Judge Gwendolyn Bright declared a mistrial, after the jury foreman, for the second time in two days, told her jurors were "unable to reach unanimous verdicts on any of the charges" against Father Andrew McCormick.
That, after the judge asked whether she could clarify points of law, or if a read back of testimony would aid jurors in their deliberations. The foreman replied "no," there was "no probability of reaching a unanimous verdict."
The judge thanked them for their service and excused jurors.
Now, the Philadelphia District Attorney's office has 30 days during which it will have to decide whether to try McCormick a third time. His first trial last year ended with a hung jury after four days of deliberations.
The alleged victim is now 27, and he and his family gave emotional testimony at both trials. McCormick testified in the first trial, but not this one.
