Washington, D.C.

Priest who defended abuse victims is ousted

The Rev. Thomas P. Doyle, the most ardent champion of priestly sex abuse victims among America’s Roman Catholic clergy, has been fired by his archbishop and is currently forbidden to lead public Masses.

Doyle said Thursday that Archbishop Edwin O’Brien of the Archdiocese for the Military Services withdrew his endorsement of Doyle as a U.S. Air Force chaplain last Sept. 17. Doyle remains a priest, but cannot celebrate sacraments until his career as an Air Force major ends this summer.

The stated reason was disagreement over providing daily Catholic Masses at military bases with few priests. But victim advocates see payback for Doyle’s 18 years of activism and sharp criticism of the hierarchy’s handling of molestation scandals.

BOSTON

Man acquitted of killing pregnant girlfriend

A man accused of stabbing and beating a 14-year-old girl who was pregnant with his child, then burying her alive, was found not guilty of murder charges Thursday.

The jury deliberated for more than two days before acquitting Kyle Bryant of two first-degree murder charges — one each for the girl and her unborn child. Bryant, 22, faces no other charges and will be allowed to go free.

Prosecutor David Meier had argued Bryant, who was 17 at the time, stabbed Chauntae Jones in September 1999 so he could avoid a statutory rape charge. He said Bryant and a friend buried her at the abandoned Boston State Hospital, a mental hospital.

Bryant acknowledged being present when the girl died but claimed the friend, Lord Hampton, was solely responsible for the slaying. Hampton, 25, faces a separate trial on murder charges.

SALT LAKE CITY

Mother in C-section case gets probation

A woman originally charged with murder for allegedly delaying a Caesarean section that could have saved one of her twins was sentenced Thursday to 18 months’ probation for lesser counts of child endangerment.

Melissa Ann Rowland also was ordered into a drug treatment program, which she will attend in Indiana, said her attorney, Michael Sikora.

Prosecutors dropped their capital murder charge against Rowland earlier this month based on her mental health history. Rowland pleaded guilty to two counts of child endangerment and admitted using cocaine in the weeks before she had the C-section in January that produced a stillborn boy.