SIMI VALLEY : Judge Again Delays Theft Trial of Priest

One week after warning attorneys not to delay the start of the Sept. 7 trial for a Simi Valley priest charged with embezzling funds, a Ventura County judge on Wednesday agreed to delay the trial anyway.

Superior Court Judge Allan L. Steele set the new trial date for Father David Dean Piroli, 37, for Oct. 4. It is the third trial date Steele has set.

Originally, the trial was to open June 28, but it had to be postponed to give the defense a chance to review financial documents that had been released by two churches where Piroli had been assigned.

The Sept. 7 trial date was moved Wednesday after defense attorney Richard J. Beada said he needs to subpoena more bank documents in the case.

Los Angeles police found traces of cocaine and $10,000 in small bills in a church-owned car driven by Piroli when he was arrested May 29, 1992, in Hollywood, authorities said. Piroli was assistant pastor at St. Peter Claver Church in Simi Valley at the time. He previously was assigned to Sacred Heart Church in Saticoy.

Also Wednesday, Steele denied Beada’s request to order the churches to release additional financial information, saying it appeared they already had given Beada enough information to prepare a defense for his client.

“I think you need enough information to demonstrate your client didn’t do it,” Steele said. “I don’t think you need to demonstrate who did do it.”

But Beada, hinting for the first time what Piroli’s defense will be, said by demonstrating who did steal the money he would be able to prove it was not Piroli.

“It’s a simple defense. Somebody else stole this money and put it in my client’s room and car,” Beada said.