Jury sides with Agawam priest in defamation case

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. --A Springfield Superior Court jury decided Wednesday that a Catholic priest never defamed a former church secretary in front of his congregation.

Ann Jackobek had sued the Rev. Steven Amo, of All Saints Parish in Agawam, and the Springfield Diocese. She said Amo had called her "a cancer within the parish" after she accused him of stealing money from the church in 2002.

Superior Court Judge Constance Sweeney said there was no evidence that Amo stole any money. Jurors took about an hour to return their verdict after a four-day trial.

"We're very happy with the verdict," said Maurice Cahillane, Amo's lawyer.

Jackobek's attorney, Tani E. Sapirstein, did not return a telephone call to The Associated Press.