It's clear that although Father Gerald Robinson was convicted of murder by a jury of 12 in Lucas County Common Pleas Court, there are some people who refuse to accept the verdict and who insist the priest is innocent.
One factor in this line of thought is that some people honestly believe a priest is incapable of doing anything seriously wrong, let alone brutally murdering an elderly nun. I've seen this time and again with priests accused of sexually abusing children. Even when the allegations are deemed credible by the church, some supporters will not accept the possibility.
I believe that a key reason for this type of thinking is that a person who commits an evil deed is not necessarily evil all the time. They carry on a normal life in most respects, most of the time. How many times have you seen neighbors interviewed after someone went berserk and they say, "Oh, he was such a nice, quiet person! I never suspected he could be a murderer!" It's not like the killers walk around every day wearing camouflage clothing, drooling, wild-eyed, and carrying an AK-47. No, they look and act normal most of the time.
But evil can lurk within, sometimes very deeply, only to surface occasionally or perhaps just once in a lifetime.
The attorney who is handling Robinson's appeal, John Donahue, is trying to make the case that the priest didn't get a fair trial. And he also tried to get Robinson released on property bond while his appeal is pending, but two courts rejected the motion.
Donahue compiled letters from Robinson supporters talking about what a swell guy he is, and submitted them to the court.
I'm sure the letter writers are sincere. I'm also sure that they've only seen one side of this person who was convicted of strangling 71-year-old Sister Margaret Ann Pahl nearly to death, then stabbing her 31 times, then pulling her undergarments down and her dress up, and violating this virginal nun with some object, which many believe was a crucifix, and then leaving her on the cold terrazzo floor of a sacristy to be found by other nuns.
Here are a few of the comments made by Robinson's supporters in an effort to get him out on property bond, without any comments or rebuttals from me. Btw, I have their names but am not listing them here:
"Although I do not know Fr. Gerald Robinson personally, I did observe that he visited the sick on a regular basis during the years I was employed at Flower Hospital."
"I know Fr. Robinson from way back -- I am also sure than an innocent (not guilty) man was sent to prison."
"I have known Father Robinson for about six years. .... I found him to be very zealous in his work of dispensing the sacraments and visiting the sick.... Father was dependable and punctual.... he went out of his way many times to help others. ... I firmly believe that Father is innocent of the crime of which he has been convicted. I cannot see how a group of intelligent people could possibly convict him with no substantial evidence and not even have a question in their minds."
"Father truly honored his parents. There was never a harsh word exchanged. This respect and love demonstrtaes the impossibility of his ever having murdered Sr. Pahl. Had he done so, he could not have faced his mother the way he did every day."
"After his indictment, I started going to lunch with him every week and I got to know him as a prayerful, faith filled priest, quiet, with a very retiring personality. ... He is a dedicated, hard working priest who rarely takes his allotted vacation time."
"I don't know anyone who has the strong faith he has. He still believes some good will come out of this ordeal."
"The trial made a mockery of justice. Make no mistake about it. Father Robinson was tried and convicted by the news media. The jurors had made up their minds before the trial had even begun."
"I don't believe the jury really wanted to spend a long time to decide this case, they wanted to go home."
"As to Father's personality -- he is very shy, but when he gets to know you, he is funny and generous to a fault. Everyone who knows him, loves him."
"That much blood couldn't be washed away in the short time involved, the letter opener, the supposed weapon just because it had the same shape, most do and wouldn't be that sharp, enabling a man of his stature and slight build to wield such an item in a way as to kill."
"To listen to his sermons, as I have at St. Jude Church many times, you know these charges are false."
* * *
Well, that's enough, I think, to give you a little picture of the thought processes of those who still believe he's innocent.
Toledo, Ohio, Dec. 10, 2006