I would file this case under small crimes and misdemeanors except for that the nature of the crime highlights the hypocrisy of the Catholic church. The prevalent mindset amoung priests is to protect accused priests against all complaints. It may not be the official policy, but when one priest acts to protect another by deleting incriminating child porn, it shows what the leadership of a parish is willing to do. They will commit crimes to protect their fellow priests. How screwed up is that?
Rev. John Schneider was sentenced to 45 days suspended sentence, 12 months probation, and 100 hours of community service. Oh, and lets not forget the massive $100 fine. Schneider deleted pornographic images of children from the computer of convicted pedophile Paul Lawrence Berrell. The district attorney let Schneider plead to a misdemeanor.
According to police, Schneider went to the North Ridge Drive apartment of former music minister Paul Lawrence Berrell on May 18, 2009, and deleted hundreds of pornographic images of children “in secret and with malice” during a criminal investigation of Berrell.
Source: Former Asheville pastor pleads guilty to obstruction in child porn case by Clark Morrison.
Pedophile catholic music director Paul Lawrence Barrell was sentenced to 28 years in prison. Pedophile enabler Rev. John Schneider is still a priest. How does that work?
Schneider, 58, resigned as pastor of St. Eugene shortly after he was charged. He remains an ordained priest but can't publicly present himself as a priest or publicly celebrate the sacraments, Hains said.
We see self imposed punishment. He’s no longer leading a church. He should be defrocked. One need only act, were Schneider’s actions Christ-like? I hear a resounding no. Why is this criminal still a pastor?
