From Hartford CT-An Episcopal bishop in Baltimore accused of killing a bicyclist while driving drunk and texting was released Thursday after posting $2.5 million bail using money provided by the former pastor of a Connecticut parish.
The bail was paid by a bondsman who received a $35,000 check from Mark H. Hansen, the former pastor of an Episcopal church in Bristol, Conn., who was removed from his parish nearly 10 years ago.
More here-
http://www.courant.com/religion-and-beliefs/bs-md-ci-bishop-cook-posts-bail-20150116-46-story.html
3 comments:
Mark H. Hansen and Heather Cook dated in theological school, which they attended together for two years. Cook later served approximately 10 years in the Connecticut dioceses alongside Hansen. At that time Hansen was married and had children. After Hansen was defrocked he divorced and 'officially' started his living arrangement with Cook. Bishop Sutton was not only aware at the time of Cook's election of her criminal behavior that included a DUI and illicit drug use, but also that she was living with a priest who was defrocked for failing to follow the teachings of the Episcopal Church and for acting against the authority (bishops) of the Episcopal Church. For months Hansen hindered the working of his parish and his diocese because of his beliefs about homosexuality. Bishop Sutton also knew that Hansen divorced his wife to live with Cook. The $35,000 given to a bailsman to free Cook was made out on a check from St. Paul's Cathedral Trust in America, a US 501c3 non-profit organization with full IRS tax deductibility: https://www.stpauls.co.uk/documents/Foundation/SPCTA%20Donation%20Form.pdf Donations are solicited for the sole purpose of supporting Saint Paul's Cathedral in London, UK. Thus, this $35,000 check was drawn illegally and makes a fraudulent use of well-meaning donor dollars. Cook is listed as one of the bigger donors and Hansen is the only person listed as administering the fund on the website: http://www.stpaulsusa.org/Pages/default.aspx Hansen claims on the Facebook page he made to advertise his operation that over 4 million US dollars have been collected: https://www.facebook.com/stpaulsusa You can also see on the website how politically well connected the trust is http://www.stpaulsusa.org/Pages/Houston.aspx
Drunk driving is a special type of bind. It leads to needless killings and accidents, which really comes down to the driver, but it is very preventable. The pastor is indeed to blame, should all evidences point to that scenario. However, I believe everyone deserves a right to fair trial, and a space and latitude, enough to let everything sink in. Thanks for sharing that story, Jim! I wish you all the best!
Grant Robbins @ 1st Choice Bail Bonds
It is hard to believe that a man that was supposed to be helping people would have been foolish enough to drive while he was intoxicated. Nothing ever good comes from mixing those two factors, and now an innocent is dead. If the bail money used to set him free was illegally used as well I feel that there is almost no hope for this man.
Eliseo Weinstein @ JR's Bail Bonds
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