Vatileaks Butler Pleads Not Guilty, Admits to Abusing Pope’s Trust
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Franco Origlia/Getty Images(VATICAN CITY) – Pope Benedict XVI’s butler was in Vatican Court Tuesday, where he pleaded not guilty to aggravated theft charges.
According to the BBC, Paolo Gabriele, 46, admitted to abusing the Pope’s trust and photocopying documents from Benedict’s apartment, but maintained that he did not think his actions constituted a crime.
Gabriele also insisted he acted alone in releasing the trove of papal documents known as Vatileaks. The BBC’s Alan Johnston reported that Gabriele denied having accomplices, though he did admit to having contacts throughout the Vatican, which is filled with “widespread unease.”
The butler also complained about his treatment in jail, complaining that when he first arrived, his cell was so small he couldn’t hold out his arms, the BBC says, and lights were kept on at all hours of the day. The Vatican claims that his detainment has been up to international standards.
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