No Charges Against Suspect In Greek Priest Attack

TAMPA — A Marine reservist accused of attacking a Greek priest last November will not face charges.

On Tuesday, the Hillsborough State Attorney’s Office announced that it will not pursue charges against Jasen Bruce.

”After considering the law, the evidence, and the information and arguments provided by defense counsel, it is evident that we cannot prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Bruce committed a crime and acted without legal justification,” Assistant State Attorney Michael Sinacore said in a statement.

Bruce was arrested after police said he hit 29-year-old Alexios Marakis in the head with a tire iron, then chased him for three blocks in Tampa.

When Bruce called the police to report the incident, he told them Marakis had tried to rob him. Bruce’s attorney later said the priest had attempted to sexually assault him.

Bruce talked about the state attorney’s decision Tuesday afternoon.

”I defended myself that night from being sexually grabbed and attacked,” Bruce said at a press conference. ”As everything was occuring, I was trying to make sense of it. I was trying to understand why this man dressed in this way was grabbing me. Was he robbing me? Was he just attacking me? At least my faith in the criminal justice system has been restored.”

The attorney for the priest also made a statement.

”He’s a confidential informant, which we found out and he’s getting the benefit of the bargain,” said Marakis’ attorney, Jerry Theophilopoulos. ”They’re not going to proceed with the charges. He’s cooperated in whatever cases he was a part of. He’s set people up with drugs and he gets the benefit of the doubt at this time and that’s unfortunate that our criminal justice system works that way.”

Bruce said he has worked as a confidential informant for Tampa police. The state attorney’s office released this statement:

”Whether or not Mr. Bruce is a confidential informant or not it had absolutely no barring on our decision.”

Marakis returned to Greece in January. Theophilopoulos said he would have returned to testify, if needed.

But the case that’s drawn so much controversy might not be over yet. Bruce said they gathered a lot of evidence in the case and they’re considering filing a civil suit against the priest.

This story is from our Bright House Networks partner, Bay News 9.