Pope’s butler, accomplice face trial

Pope Benedict XVI’s former butler, Paolo Gabriele, who was arrested in May on suspicion of stealing secret documents that exposed feuds within the Church and leaking them to journalists, is accused of “aggravated theft” and must stand trial. Also charged with complicity was Claudio Sciarpelletti, an analyst and computer programmer in the Vatican state secretariat. The Vatican has said the trial will not take place until October at the earliest. They face up to 6 years in prison. Under Vatican laws, a reprieve from the pope could come at any moment during the investigation or trial, but religious observers say that while Benedict may offer his spiritual pardon, he is unlikely to interfere in the legal process. The Vatican has been shaken by the scandal, which has drawn attention to divisions between senior clergymen in the Vatican and in particular growing criticism of the powerful Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone.

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