Marine Fined $710 for Assaulting Australian Archbishop Over Wedding

An American Marine who beat up an archbishop because he refused to conduct a marriage ceremony for him was fined $710.

Dennis d’Arminio, 32, pleaded guilty to assaulting Archbishop Abdou Khalife, 72, and the Rev. Michael Kairouz, 31, March 20 in the vestry of a Maronite Church.

D’Arminio said he went to the church to get permission to marry a Lebanese woman who lived in Sydney. He met her while stationed in Beirut.

He had taken three weeks’ leave to come to Australia for the marriage, believing all the necessary paper work was complete.

But Khalife had refused permission for the couple to marry because D’Arminio had no documentary evidence he had not been married before in Lebanon.

The police prosecutor told the court D’Arminio lost his temper, overturning a table and knocking Khalife to the ground.

Kairouz, who had gone to Khalife’s aid on hearing his cries for help, was also struck and knocked to the ground by D’Arminio, who then fled the church. He later surrendered.