CHICAGO — A Flossmoor man is the second man to be charged in the robbery and beating of the Rev. Dan Mallette in the rectory of St. Margaret of Scotland Catholic Church in 2011.
Police identified Milek Harris, 22, as one of the men who broke into a church rectory in the 9800 block of South Throop Avenue and beat and robbed the then-80-year-old priest. The incident happened around 12:20 a.m. on Dec. 6, 2011, police said.
The priest was taken to Advocate Christ Hospital in stable condition, police said.
Harris, was charged with aggravated battery of a person over 60, home invasion and robbery with a dangerous weapon, police said.
Jerrell Harris, 21, was also arrested in May for breaking into the St. Margaret rectory, where Mallette lived, police said.
The two were identified as the men who dragged the well-known Chicago priest out of his bed at the parish rectory to beat and rob him — then asked the priest to pray for them, prosecutors said.
Mallette was awakened that night by two men wearing masks and "ninjalike suits" who had broken into the rectory, Assistant State's Attorney Erin Antonietti said at a court hearing for Jerrell in May.
The two robbers demanded money and started beating Mallette, Antonietti said. One of them grabbed Mallette's walking cane and a tool used to sprinkle holy water, striking the priest in his head, she said.
The robbers got the combination and key to the church safe, where they found $600, Antonietti said. The culprits sprayed bleach around the rectory in an effort to eliminate any physical evidence, Antonietti said.
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