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Baltimore Police
World News

Former bishop Heather Cook faces 10 years in U.S. prison

by Hannah Tooley

Heather Cook, 58, was involved in an accident with 41-year-old Thomas Palermo in December. She was found to be nearly three times over the drink-drive limit and had also been texting behind the wheel.

Mrs Cook was the first female Episcopal bishop of Maryland, but was forced to resign from her post over the incident.

Heather Cook entered her plea a day before the trial was meant to begin, and pleaded guilty to automobile manslaughter as well as leaving the scene of a fatal accident, driving while intoxicated and texting while driving.

She had originally pleaded not guilty in April to the 13 counts against her, but with the guilty admission the state are now going to ask a Baltimore Circuit Court judge next month to sentence Heather Cook to 10 years in prison.

She is currently out of prison on $2.5 million bail (around £1.6 million), according to The Baltimore Sun.

Her attorney, David Irwin, said outside court that she did not speak to the media after the court proceeding on the advice of counsel.

She will be sentenced fully on the 27th October to 20 years in prison, with a 10 year suspended sentence. She is expected to be on probation for around five years.

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