IMAGE: CNS photo/Vatican Media
By Junno Arocho Esteves
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — A Vatican court found Msgr. Carlo
Alberto Capella, a former staff member at the Vatican nunciature in Washington,
guilty of possessing and distributing child pornography.
Judge Giuseppe Della Torre, head of the tribunal of the
Vatican City State, delivered the verdict June 23, and sentenced Msgr. Capella
to five years in prison and fined him 5,000 euro ($5,833).
The Vatican press office said he would serve his sentence in
a Vatican cell located in the building of the Gendarme Corps of Vatican City
State, as the Vatican police force is formally known.
It is presumed to be the same cell prepared for Paolo
Gabriele, the former papal butler who leaked reserved papal correspondence in
2012, and Msgr. Lucio Vallejo Balda, former secretary of the Prefecture for the
Economic Affairs of the Holy See, who was found guilty of leaking confidential
documents about the Vatican’s financial reform in 2016.
Both Gabriele and Vallejo Balda were pardoned after serving
a few months of their sentences.
Msgr. Capella was accused of having and exchanging with
others “a large quantity” of child pornography; the quantity is such that the
charges are considered “aggravated” by the Vatican City court.
Prior to verdict, the judges presiding over the case
listened to Vatican prosecutor Roberto Zanotti who recommended the court
sentence the Italian prelate to five years and nine months and fine him 10,000
euro ($11,668).
Roberto Borgogno, Msgr. Capella’s lawyer, pleaded with the
court to give the monsignor a reduced sentence and referred to his client’s
crimes as “a problem” that required intense therapy and not a heavy
sentence.
Before adjourning in the morning, Msgr. Capella addressed
the court, saying that the “mistakes I have made are evident as well as
this period of weakness. I am sorry that my weakness has hurt the church, the
Holy See and my diocese. I also hurt my family and I am repentant.”
Referring to his possession and distribution of child
pornography as “a bump in the road in my priestly life,” the former
Vatican diplomat said that he wants to continue receiving “psychological
support.”
The Vatican press office said a decision regarding Msgr.
Capella by the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith would be made at a later
date. The congregation’s investigations of clerical sexual abuse cases is
separate from how those cases are handled by criminal courts.
The U.S. State Department notified the Holy See Aug. 21 of
Msgr. Capella’s possible violation of laws relating to child pornography
images. The 50-year-old Italian monsignor had been working in Washington just
over a year when he was recalled to the Vatican.
On Sept. 28, police in Canada issued a nationwide arrest
warrant for Msgr. Capella on charges of accessing, possessing and distributing
child pornography.
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