27309: (news) Chamberlain: Haiti-Jailed Priest (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>

   By MICHAEL NORTON

   PORT-AU-PRINCE, Jan 20 (AP) -- A judge dropped charges against a
politically influential Catholic priest in the death of a journalist, but
indicted him on two lesser counts, the cleric's lawyer said Friday.
   The Rev. Gerard Jean-Juste, a supporter of ousted President
Jean-Bertrand Aristide, has been in prison since July in connection with
the killing of the prominent Haitian journalist and poet Jacques Roche.
   The 59-year-old priest had always denied the allegations.
   Jean-Juste, who has drawn comparisons to Aristide for his impassioned
sermons and advocacy for the poor, has emerged as a prominent figure in the
ousted leader's Lavalas Family party.
   The priest's supporters tried to register him as a presidential
candidate last fall, but authorities barred his candidacy because he was in
prison.
   Mario Joseph, the priest's lawyer, said the court dropped the homicide
charges but indicted the priest on weapons possession and conspiracy
charges.
   Jean-Juste remains in prison with no court date. His supporters,
meanwhile, have for said several months that he has cancer and should be
allowed to travel to the United States for treatment.
   On Friday, a high-level international delegation that included U.S.
Undersecretary of State Thomas Shannon arrived in the Haitian capital of
Port-au-Prince to press authorities to hold elections as scheduled on Feb.
7.
   Elections have already been postponed several times because of
organizational problems, mounting chaos and violence.