The transcript of Father Gerald Robinson's murder trial is complete -- 4,000 pages in total, purchased by his attorneys at $2.75 per page. That adds up to $11,000.
The priest's attorneys also requested to be able to file an 80-page brief, 50 pages beyond the usual limit of 30 pages, explaining their reasons for appealing the verdict that the priest was guilty of murder. The judge agreed to let them file 60 pages, double the normal limit.
The brief will likely be filed by fall and a response from prosecutors by the end of year. The trial may be ready to roll early in 2008, according to an extremely reliable source.
The publication date for the paperback version of Sin, Shame & Secrets has been pushed back a week to Feb. 15. It probably will be moved again before it's all said and done.
Meanwhile, Fred Rosen's book on the Robinson case is coming out in November, titled Killer Priest. And William Glast has one coming out early next year. I heard there's a third one in the works also.
It will be interesting to see what they have to say and how they say it. Even more interesting will be how much support they get from their publishers and how much interest their books generate in this extraordinary case.
Toledo, Ohio
August 7, 2007