Authorities have ended the Father Blackwell criminal investigation of a popular West Baltimore priest that stemmed from an allegation of child sexual abuse.
The decision not to prosecute the Rev. Maurice J. Blackwell was made because of insufficient evidence, Baltimore State's Attorney Stuart O. Simms said last night.
"We concluded the evidence was insufficient to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, and that terminates at least our aspect of the inquiry," Mr. Simms said. "There having been no arrest or no formalized proceeding, nothing was dropped. We just made our analysis and concluded our inquiry."
Father Blackwell, 47, was removed from his pulpit at St. Edward's Roman Catholic Church earlier this month after a teen-age parishioner told police and archdiocese officials that the priest had "inappropriately touched him."
Mr. Simms said he knew of only the single allegation against the priest.
Police spokesman Sam Ringgold said the prosecutor's decision concludes the police investigation.
Archdiocese officials said that they haven't ended their review, however, and the priest remains on administrative leave pending completion of a psychological evaluation.
With the agreement of Father Blackwell, who denied the abuse allegation, the archdiocese sent the priest to an undisclosed residential treatment center for psychological evaluation.
Father Blackwell will not be returning to the pulpit until that evaluation is completed, said Rob Rehg, director of communications for the Archdiocese of Baltimore.
"The police have made a statement on where they are, but we still have a process we have to go through, with Father Blackwell's cooperation," Mr. Rehg said.
Mr. Rehg said that it is unclear when the evaluation will be finished and that Father Blackwell remains on administrative leave.
In 1974, Father Blackwell became the second black priest ordained in the Baltimore archdiocese. He became known as a charismatic priest as he helped the predominantly black Poplar Grove Street congregation wed its Catholic faith to its African-American heritage. He is credited with helping St. Edward's more than triple in size to about 300 families.
His suspension from the pulpit raised questions among parishioners and friends about whether the archdiocese was treating him fairly.
Yesterday, parishioners expressed support for Father Blackwell and said they hope he returns soon.
