Thursday, February 5, 2015

Md. Episcopal Bishop Is Indicted on 13 Charges; Charges Include Drunk Driving in Bicyclist Death

Episcopal Bishop Heather Cook was indicted yesterday on 13 charges in the death of a Baltimore bicyclist, including homicide, drunken driving, texting while driving, and leaving the scene of an accident, the Washington Post website reports today (February 5, 2015).

Marilyn Mosby -- Baltimore City state's attorney -- had announced January 9 that her office was charging the 58-year-old cleric from the Diocese of Maryland with killing Thomas Palermo on a Saturday afternoon in December while he was taking a bike ride.

Prosecutors have said since January that Cook could face more than 20 years in prison.

Since the accident, details of Cook's past drinking have come out, raising questions about what Episcopal officials knew and whether she was receiving any support since becoming the diocese's first female bishop last year. Cook was charged in a 2010 drinking-and driving incident, which top diocesan officials knew when they selected her as a candidate, but which they did not share with the broader body that voted to choose her.

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