The Rev. Philip Taban, an Ugandan priest who was accused of sexually assaulting an 18-year-old woman while working at an East El Paso church last summer, was acquitted by a jury Thursday but now faces deportation, the El Paso Times reported.

A jury of nine women and three men deliberated more than eight hours over two days before finding not guilty of six sexual assault counts -- three by force and three by emotional dependency, the Times reported.

Prosecutors argued that the priest exploited the woman's emotional dependency to get her to submit to sex, while defense attorneys said the sex that occurred was consensual and that there was no emotional dependency, according to the Times.

Taban lost his permission to function as a priest in El Paso in September 2007 soon after charges were filed, but he remains a priest with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Arua in Uganda, the Times said.

Although he has been cleared of criminal charges, his immigration status is in limbo, since his visa expired while he was incarcerated, his court-appointed attorney Luis Aguilar told the Times.

"He will be deported to Uganda," Aguilar told the paper. 

Your Name:

Your Email Address:

Rate this article:
Poor Great

Comment:

BOLD

"QUOTE"

UNDERLINE