Prosecutor Examines Alleged Sexual Incidents

Morris County Prosecutor Robert A. Bianchi continued questioning Jose Feliciano's recollection of the alleged sexual encounters between the former janitor and the Rev. Edward Hinds of .

Incident by incident, Bianchi circled around and pounced when the defendant seemed to contradict the previous testimony or used a different description then was in the direct testimony.

Feliciano's testimony centered on five separate incidents from around October 2005 to March or April 2009, during which Feliciano testified he was touched inappropriately by Hinds. Feliciano also claimed Hinds touched himself during this incident as well.

While discussing an October 2005 incident, called the "luggage" incident because Feliciano testified he was carrying Hinds' luggage into the rectory, Bianchi asked him when the second incident occurred.

Feliciano testified  that the second incident happened in February 2005.

"You never testified to it even when your own lawyer questioned you about it," Bianchi said. "Do you have a memory of this time?"

Feliciano said, "Yes, but I'm tired."

Bianchi honed in.

Feliciano said, "2005 in October, was the third."

Bianchi, reading from the previous testimony, said that Feliciano testified the October 2005 incident was the second incident.

This was the pattern of the afternoon's testimony until Bianchi finally asked, "Do you have a recollection of the event or are you making it up?"

In one exchange, Bianchi focused on the first time that Feliciano testified that Hines touched him inappropriately over his pants.

"This is a pretty significant thing in your life, is it not?" Bianchi asked.

"I don't know what you mean by significant," Feliciano said.

"You have another man, a priest [touching you]," Bianchi said. "You didn't forget it? It was a big deal."

After a pause, Feliciano said, "Yes."

Bianchi asked Feliciano whether he protested to Hinds about these alleged assaults. Feliciano said he finally told Hinds to stop, but that he was concerned about keeping his job.

The other key issue in the afternoon was whether Hinds and Feliciano had discussions about Feliciano's desire to retire on his 65th birthday.

The issue first came up in the spring of 2009, Feliciano testified, whe he said he told the priest he wanted to retire. Felicano said he told Hines he planned to take a part-time job after leaving the church.

Feliciano said Hinds told him he wanted the janitor to stay.

"What was the big promise he made?" Bianchi asked.

"He said for me to stay," Feliciano said. "That is a promise. He told me not to retire. That reinforces stayng in my mind."

Bianchi said, "So you're saying he said, 'you don't have to retire, don't have to leave.' Is that the promise?"

Feliciano answered, "If you said I don't have to leave because you promised; you promised."