A Detroit priest who hosts the popular podcast The Exorcist Files has been charged with battery, after a teenage girl alleged he grabbed her hair and growled at her in church.
Whilst queueing to view a touring relic of St Jude the Apostle at St Paul the Apostle Church, Joliet, it is alleged that Father Carlos Martins, 50, commented on the 13 year old’s hair, before snatching at a strand and pretending to floss his teeth with it.
Police told Fox 32 that Martins made a “growling noise” whilst sat in a pew behind her.
Martins’ lawyer, Marcelle Burke, denies the allegations, calling them “egregious and unfounded”.
“The evidence will show that Fr. Carlos did not batter anyone,” he said.
“He did not put anyone’s hair in his mouth, let alone ‘floss’ with a student’s hair or ‘growl’ among other completely false and repulsive accusations — this remains a takedown of a good priest and an attempted shakedown of the Church. We are confident in this legal process and look forward to our client being fully exonerated.”
Burke said that Martins only “joked” with the girl to “build a rapport” with her.
Martins has since been withdrawn from ministry at Compassions of the Cross, whilst he awaits trial in Will County on Feb 24.