Pope’s Butler Sentenced to 18 Months for Stealing Documents

Source: Associated Press

VATICAN CITY — The pope’s butler was sentenced to 18 months in prison on Saturday after being convicted of stealing the pope’s private documents and leaking them to a journalist.

Judge Giuseppe Dalla Torre read the verdict Saturday two hours after the three-judge panel began deliberating the fate of the butler, Paolo Gabriele. The judge said the sentence was reduced to 18 months from three years because of mitigating circumstances, including that Mr. Gabriele had no previous record.

In his final appeal to the court, Mr. Gabriele said he leaked the pope’s private correspondence to a journalist out of a “visceral love” for the church and the pope.

In the courtroom was Mr. Gabriele’s father. It was the first time a family member has attended his weeklong trial.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/07/world/europe/butler-gets-18-months-for-stealing-popes-documents.html