Denver Post: 20 felony counts reduced to single misdemeanor
This has got to be one of the oddest cases ever. From here:
Since 2009 Armstrong had faced 20 counts of felony theft, totaling $392,000, allegedly taken from his own Grace Church and St. Stephen's Parish.
The diocese accused him of criminal conduct, but most St. Stephen's parishioners supported Armstrong's denials of wrongdoing. Most also joined him in breaking away from the Episcopal Church in May 2007 to join theologically conservative Anglicans opposed to the ordination of openly gay or lesbian priests and same-sex marriage.
Armstrong, 61, and his attorney, Dennis Hartley, have said in statements and interviews recently that the charges were reduced to one "fictitious" count of misdemeanor theft. They called it close to a dismissal.
"It is still his contention he did nothing wrong," Hartley said Monday.
Armstrong and Grace Church issued a statement Saturday to VirtueOnline, self-described as "The Voice for Global Orthodox Anglicanism," saying the agreement vindicated Armstrong and demonstrated that "the courts are not the place to deal with theological differences."
Armstrong posted a follow-up entry: "Bottom line here is that they started with 20 felony counts and we walked out of the courtroom with a misdemeanor."
However, Thiebaut said it was "a fairly complicated plea agreement" with more to it than a single misdemeanor count.
According to the plea agreement, obtained by The Denver Post, Armstrong pleaded "no contest" to one class-three felony, the theft of $15,000 or more. The other 19 charges were dismissed.
The sentence for this count will be deferred for a period of four years. If he complies with terms set by the judge, no conviction will be entered.
Armstrong also entered an Alford plea, which means pleading guilty with a protestation of innocence, to a single misdemeanor charge. The agreement states there is no factual basis to the misdemeanor charge, but the defendant pleads to it to obtain the benefit of the plea agreement.
Read it all here.
The diocese accused him of criminal conduct, but most St. Stephen's parishioners supported Armstrong's denials of wrongdoing. Most also joined him in breaking away from the Episcopal Church in May 2007 to join theologically conservative Anglicans opposed to the ordination of openly gay or lesbian priests and same-sex marriage.
Armstrong, 61, and his attorney, Dennis Hartley, have said in statements and interviews recently that the charges were reduced to one "fictitious" count of misdemeanor theft. They called it close to a dismissal.
"It is still his contention he did nothing wrong," Hartley said Monday.
Armstrong and Grace Church issued a statement Saturday to VirtueOnline, self-described as "The Voice for Global Orthodox Anglicanism," saying the agreement vindicated Armstrong and demonstrated that "the courts are not the place to deal with theological differences."
Armstrong posted a follow-up entry: "Bottom line here is that they started with 20 felony counts and we walked out of the courtroom with a misdemeanor."
However, Thiebaut said it was "a fairly complicated plea agreement" with more to it than a single misdemeanor count.
According to the plea agreement, obtained by The Denver Post, Armstrong pleaded "no contest" to one class-three felony, the theft of $15,000 or more. The other 19 charges were dismissed.
The sentence for this count will be deferred for a period of four years. If he complies with terms set by the judge, no conviction will be entered.
Armstrong also entered an Alford plea, which means pleading guilty with a protestation of innocence, to a single misdemeanor charge. The agreement states there is no factual basis to the misdemeanor charge, but the defendant pleads to it to obtain the benefit of the plea agreement.
Read it all here.
No comments:
Post a Comment