Rev. Jonathan Wehrle's embezzlement trial on hold, again
Megan BantaLANSING — The trial for a retired priest accused of stealing more than $5 million from a Roman Catholic parish in Okemos is on hold, again.
Ingham County Circuit Court Judge Joyce Draganchuk on Tuesday granted a stay of proceedings while Rev. Jonathan Wehrle and his attorneys appeal her October decision to deny a request to suppress evidence.
Draganchuk already delayed the trial on six felony counts of embezzlement of $100,000 or more until at least January after Wehrle's original attorney withdrew from the case. It's not clear whether the stay she granted Tuesday will push the trial back further.
Related:Priest to get new attorneys; embezzlement trial pushed back to 2019
Michigan State Police in July said they found about $63,000 in Wehrle's home after receiving information from the Lansing Police Department. The bundles of bills were wrapped in paper bands stamped with the words: "For deposit only - St. Martha Parish and School," police said.
Wehrle and his attorneys in October asked the court to suppress evidence from that search, arguing the warrant was originally based on an unrelated matter involving one of Wehrle's adopted sons.
They've appealed Draganchuk's decision to deny that motion, an action that triggered a mandatory stay of court proceedings unless a judge determines evidence is clearly supportive or the appeal is frivolous.
"I think the ruling of this court is correct or I wouldn’t have made it, but I’m not prepared to say the appeal is frivolous," Draganchuk said in court Tuesday. "That’s a very, very high standard."
Contact reporter Megan Banta (517) 377-1261 or at mbanta@lsj.com. Follow her on Twitter @MeganBanta_1