Vatican court rejects some butler trial evidence

[September 29, 2012]  VATICAN CITY (AP) -- A Vatican tribunal has thrown out some evidence gathered in the investigation of the pope's butler, who is accused of stealing the pope's papers and passing them off to a journalist in the worst security breach in the Vatican's recent history.

The court also decided Saturday during the first hearing of the case to separate the trial of the butler, Paolo Gabriele, and that of his co-defendant, a Vatican computer expert.

Gabriele faces up to four years in prison if he is convicted of aggravated theft. He has already confessed, saying he leaked the documents to shed light on what he called the `'evil and corruption" in the church, and asked to be pardoned by the pope.

Judge Giuseppe Dalla Torre set the next hearing for Tuesday, when Gabriele will be questioned.

[Associated Press; By NICOLE WINFIELD]

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.