GATLINBURG, Tenn. — A Gatlinburg priest accused of sexual battery was found not guilty Thursday on all charges by a Sevier County jury.
"My client is a terrific human being and we are glad to finally be able to show the world that he's innocent of these accusations," Travis McCarter, Antony Punnackal's defense attorney, told WBIR.
The Diocese of Knoxville said in a statement Friday in its newsletter to parishioners that Punnackal no doubt had endured stress leading up to the trial while continuing to maintain his innocence.
He was removed from active ministry after accusations emerged against him.
"His ministry to the people of the diocese, and especially to those at St. Mary Parish in Gatlinburg where he most recently served, has been a tremendous gift. The decision to remove him from active ministry was difficult but necessary. No matter what he decides for his future, his vision and work, especially helping the people of Gatlinburg in their recovery from the 2016 wildfires, and building a new parish family life center, will remain lasting symbols of his work here. Please keep Father Punnackal in your prayers," the diocese statement reads.
The trial of Punnackal started Wednesday in Sevier County, more than three years after a woman said he inappropriately grabbed her during a private, one-on-one meeting in February 2020. Punnackal was a priest in St. Mary's Church in Gatlinburg, and he was removed from active ministry in the Catholic Diocese in January 2022.
According to the complaint, the victim said he fondled her inappropriately while she was seeking asylum in the U.S., and she said she feared he would try to use the legal process against her. She immigrated to the U.S. in 2019, fleeing violence in Honduras. She was twice widowed.
McCarter previously said the woman was recorded on video talking about the criminal case.
"Perhaps most importantly, the alleged victim makes a statement in the video that roughly translates to an admission that the alleged victim believes the detective that dropped her case (as it had not been prosecuted as quickly as she would like) because he knew 'it was all lies.' That statement constitutes perhaps the most crucial piece of evidence in the entire case as it could be evaluated by a jury as a direct admission that the allegations against (Punnackal) are fabricated," the attorney argued. "This statement could very well be the arbiter of the jury's determination as to the guilt or innocence of (Punnackal)."
Punnackal and the diocese still faces a lawsuit filed in federal court in Knoxville. Action on it was suspended while the criminal trial proceeded this year.
About the lawsuit the diocese wrote Friday: "Soon, we hope to hear more about a civil lawsuit brought against the diocese in this matter. We will refrain from commenting on it until its fate can be decided."
The complaint alleges Punnackal would regularly meet with the woman to talk with the aid of translation software. It said she reached out to arrange a grief counseling meeting with Punnackal, where the alleged battery happened.