Oct 29, 2009 2:55 pm US/Eastern
Bail Stays At $1M For Suspect In Killing NJ Priest
MORRISTOWN, N.J. (CBS) ―
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Father Edward Hinds was murdered inside St. Patrick's Church in Chatham, N.J. on Oct. 23, 2009. He was 61.
CBS
A judge has ordered that bail be kept at $1 million for the janitor accused of killing a New Jersey priest by stabbing him 32 times.
Jose Feliciano made his first court appearance in state Superior Court in Morristown on Thursday.
Judge Thomas Manahan adjusted Feliciano's bail from cash, bond or property to cash solely.
Feliciano is charged with murder in the death of the Rev. Ed Hinds in the rectory of St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church in Chatham last Thursday.
Assistant Prosecutor Leslie Wade said Feliciano has used several aliases and Social Security numbers and has an outstanding arrest warrant from more than 20 years ago in Philadelphia.
Court documents say Hinds discussed firing Feliciano one day before his death.
Meanwhile, the investigation into Hinds' murder turned to his frantic cell phone call to 9-1-1 as he was being attacked.
Investigators said the 61-year-old priest called 9-1-1 as he was being attacked. The call went to a New Jersey State Police dispatch center, but suddenly disconnected. The dispatcher apparently called back twice once getting voicemail, the second time getting the alleged killer, who prosecutors say said there was no emergency.
Police were not sent to the church, as a result.
(© 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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