Priest’s Trial May Be Delayed Again

The attorney representing a Simi Valley priest on charges he stole money from his church told a Ventura County Superior Court judge Tuesday that he needs more time to prepare for trial.

But Father David Dean Piroli’s case, which already has been continued twice, is still scheduled for trial Oct. 4, though the judge said the attorney may request another continuance later this month.

Piroli, 37, was arrested in Hollywood in May, 1992, after police said they found traces of cocaine and $10,000 in small bills in his church-owned car. At the time of his arrest, Piroli was an assistant pastor at St. Peter Claver in Simi Valley, where he had been reassigned from Sacred Heart Church in Saticoy.

Los Angeles County authorities declined to prosecute Piroli because the amount of illegal drugs was small. But Ventura County officials, who later found $50,000 more in allegedly embezzled church funds, decided to prosecute.

Piroli remains free on bail posted by parishioners.

On Tuesday, Deputy Dist. Atty. Mary C. Peace told Judge Allan L. Steele that defense attorney Richard J. Beada was asking for more time only because he had changed his defense tactic.

“I feel what counsel is doing is really stalling,” Peace said.

Steele said he recognized the delays were “in large measure due to the difficulty of the defendant in getting information from the churches” and scheduled more arguments for Sept. 20.