Pope's butler awaiting Vatileaks charge from home

GlobalPost

Police released the Pope’s butler from jail today to await a decision in the Vatileaks case from home.

The move to place Paolo Gabriele under house arrest comes almost two months after someone released sensitive Vatican documents that paint a picture of infighting within the Holy See.

According to The Associated Press, prosecutors will decide with days whether to charge Pope Benedict XVI’s assistant.

The stolen documents show signs of strife at the highest levels of the Roman Catholic Church, including corruption and power struggles, the AP said.

Judicial officials charged Gabriele in May after Italian media published papers that appeared to expose fraud, nepotism and cronyism, the BBC said.

Defense lawyer Carlo Fusco said Gabriele considered it an “act of love.”

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It was not a conspiracy, and he acted alone, Fusco said.

“There are definitely no networks, no internal or external plots in which Paolo was involved. His motivations were all internal,” Fusco said, according to BBC.

“He wanted the Church to be more alive. He had an idea to help a situation.”

Vatican representative Federico Lombardi said a judge is to decide about charges early next month.

Police found confidential documents inside the Vatican apartment Gabriele shares with his wife and three children. He faces a maximum 30 years in jail.

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