[Magdalen] Bishop pleads; to be sentenced.

[Grace Cangialosi]

Well, I do understand your sentiment, Marion, because I think the whole thing was a tragedy for everyone involved. I don't know whether the sentence is heavy enough, but I do think she should have to pay a heavy fine to the family. Maybe that has to be done separately, though.
All of that being said, I find that I am still angry at the way the church failed her and, by extension, the Palermo family by not tackling the issue of Cook's alcohol abuse. Her previous DUI was not disclosed to the nominating committee, and no one --Sutton nor the PB--took action when she was drunk at a pre-consecration event. I believe they are also culpable, whether the law would say so or not.

The only good to come out of this is that we as a church are finally having a long-overdue conversation about our relationship with alcohol, and there is now an updated policy. I'm asking our region to review and discuss it, though I'm expecting stiff resistance to doing that.
The one item that stood out for me was that alcohol shall not be served when church business is to be conducted. That rules out our regional meeting and many vestry meetings.
Also, things that use alcohol as a draw, such as wine and cheese tastings, are forbidden.

> On Sep 8, 2015, at 4:21 PM, Marion Thompson <marionwhitevale at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Talk about a fall from grace.  Never mind, yes, my heart goes out to her.  So sue me.
> 
> Marion, a pilgrim
> 
>> On 9/8/2015 3:53 PM, M J [Mike] Logsdon wrote:
>> Ex-bishop who killed cyclist pleads guilty to manslaughter
>> By JULIET LINDERMAN
>> >From Associated Press
>> September 08, 2015 2:33 PM EST
>>  BALTIMORE (AP) — A former Episcopal bishop pleaded guilty Tuesday to manslaughter, drunken driving and leaving the scene at which she killed a cyclist.
>> 
>> Under an agreement with prosecutors, the state will ask a Baltimore Circuit Court judge next month to sentence Heather Cook to 10 years in prison.
>> 
>> Cook, then a newly installed bishop in the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland, struck 41-year-old Tom Palermo on Dec. 27 in a bike lane near her North Baltimore home. Her blood-alcohol content level was 0.22 percent; Maryland's limit is 0.08 percent.
>> 
>> Cook, 58, entered her pleas the day before her trial was scheduled to start. She pleaded guilty to automobile manslaughter, leaving the scene of a fatal accident, driving while intoxicated and texting while driving.
>> 
>> Cook resigned from her post as bishop shortly after charges were filed, and the Episcopal Church revoked her clergy credentials.
>> 
>> The plea deal calls for the judge to sentence Cook on Oct. 27 to 20 years in prison, with 10 years suspended. She would be on probation for five years.
>> 
>> Cook had pleaded not guilty in April to 13 counts against her.
>