Defendant Cross-Examined in Chatham Priest Killing

Prosecutors have tried to poke holes in the testimony of a church janitor who took the stand in his own defense against charges he murdered a northern New Jersey priest.

Morris County Prosecutor Robert Bianchi on Tuesday asked Jose Feliciano about discrepancies between his court testimony and statements he gave police after the priest was found dead in October 2009.

Bianchi sought to prove Feliciano retaliated for an imminent firing by stabbing the Rev. Edward Hinds inside a Chatham church. Feliciano had testified Monday that Hinds had sexually molested him in return keeping silent about prior criminal charges against Feliciano.

The Star-Ledger reports that exchanges between Bianchi and Feliciano during cross-examination got so heated at one point that the judge removed the jury from the courtroom.

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