Jury convicts former priest of sodomy in case stemming from 1970s

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- A jury has convicted a former Catholic priest of three counts of sodomy in a case stemming from the 1970s.

The jury also convicted 66-year-old James Schook on Wednesday of one count of indecent or immoral practice with another.

The jury will return Thursday for sentencing.

Schook didn't testify in the trial that began Monday.

Richard Whitfield, now in his 50s, testified that he and Schook carried on a years-long sexual relationship beginning when he was 13. The other alleged victim, Michael Stansbury, says he had one sexual encounter with Schook.

Schook's attorney challenged the witnesses' accounts and said they might not be able to accurately recall their ages or the dates of the alleged abuses.

Schook has been diagnosed with skin cancer and sought several delays to the trial.