Crime & Safety

Man Convicted in Stabbing Death of Germantown Priest Wants New Trial

Robert Paul Lucas is appealing his second-degree murder conviction for stabbing to death Monsignor Thomas Wells, of Mother Seton Parish, The Gazette reports.

(Updated) A Clarksburg man convicted of killing a Germantown priest has asked for a new trial, claiming his former attorneys should have objected to prosecutors' comments during closing arguments at his 2001 trial, The Gazette reported Thursday.

Robert Paul Lucas, 37, is appealing his second-degree murder conviction for stabbing to death Monsignor Thomas Wells, a 56-year-old pastor at Mother Seton Parish, whom Lucas claimed had sexually assaulted him, according to The Gazette.

According to court records accessed by Patch, Lucas was in court Sept. 20. A judge gave him 20 days to submit a transcript detailing the objectionable statements. 

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Court records show Lucas filed appeals in 2011 and 2003.

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This story has been corrected since it was originally published. Robert Paul Lucas was in court Sept. 20, 2012. Patch regrets the error.


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