Texas Jury Deliberates on Sexual Assault Charges Against Catholic Priest

A jury consisting of eight women and four men in Texas began deliberating on Friday afternoon regarding the case of Anthony Odiong, a Roman Catholic priest charged with sexual assault. Odiong, 57, is accused of exploiting his position as a clergyman to engage in sexual relations with female parishioners to whom he provided spiritual guidance. He has pleaded not guilty to one count of first-degree sexual assault and two counts of second-degree sexual assault involving two women, both of whom testified during the trial that commenced with jury selection on Tuesday in Waco, Texas.