Replies

I did the research the Irish paper was too lazy to include:

Link here

Priest jailed after nun's death in exorcism 19/02/2007 - 18:16:42

A Romanian priest has been sentenced to 14 years in prison today after a nun died during an exorcism ritual.

Sister Maricica Irina Cornici, 23, who was being treated for schizophrenia, said she believed the devil was talking to her.

Daniel Petru Corogeanu, a monk who served as the priest for a secluded Holy Trinity convent in northeast Romania, and four other nuns, chained Cornici to a cross in an attempt at exorcism.

She survived several days without food or water, but died of dehydration, exhaustion and suffocation.

The court in the northeast city of Vaslui convicted Corogeanu and the four nuns of holding Cornici captive, resulting in her death.

One of the nuns, Nicoleta Arcalianu, was sentenced to eight years in prison, and the other three – Adina Cepraga, Elena Otel and Simona Bardanas – received five-year sentences.

Dozens of the priest’s supporters packed the courtroom and prayed for him. Several burst into tears when the verdict was announced.

The defendants’ lawyers plan to appeal, saying the prison sentences are too harsh.

OOPS! Reposted original article. Try again:

[Also note that this "exorcist" was willing to conduct a funeral while under suspension. He might well not be a commissioned to do exorcisms, but decided to play with fire anyway. VERY dangerous.]

BUCHAREST, Romania --A Romanian Orthodox monk has been indicted in the death of a 23-year-old nun in an apparent exorcism in which she was allegedly bound to a cross, had a towel stuffed into her mouth and left without food for three days.

Four nuns also were indicted Sunday in connection with the death of Maricica Irina Cornici of the Holy Trinity convent in northeast Romania. The prosecutor said Monday authorities were awaiting the results of a second autopsy before deciding how to proceed.

Police said Cornici died Wednesday, three days after she was left in a cold room, without any food. She was bound to the cross, with the towel stuffed in her mouth to stop her from uttering any sounds, authorities said.

A medical examiner's report based on an autopsy concluded the nun died due to dehydration, exhaustion and lack of oxygen, state news agency Rompres reported.

A second autopsy is carried out when there is suspicion of foul play to minimize possible error.

Monk Daniel Petru Corogeanu and the four indicted nuns were charged with depriving a person of liberty resulting in death, but they have not been taken into custody pending results of the second autopsy, prosecutor Ovidiu Berindei told The Associated Press. If convicted, they could face 25 years in prison, said Berindei, prosecutor of Vaslui, a region in northeast Romania.

The monk said Sunday he was trying to "take the devil out of her," N24 news television reported.

When asked whether the nun was mentally ill and in need of medical help instead of exorcism, he told the television station, "you can't take the devil out of people with pills."

The Romanian Orthodox Church has called the death "abominable" and has suspended Corogeanu pending an investigation. However, he refused to recognize the suspension and carried out a funeral service for the nun on Sunday. Cornici will be buried in a separate service in her home village.

Nuns yelled at a vicar who had come to suspend Corogeanu on Sunday, and scuffles broke out, N24 reported. Riot police intervened and order was restored, the television station reported. There were no injuries.