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Man Charged With Robbing, Beating Elderly Priest In 2011

CHICAGO (STMW) -- A Chicago man was charged Thursday with home invasion for allegedly beating and robbing an elderly Catholic priest at a South Side parish in 2011.

Jerrell Harris, 21, is charged in the Dec. 6, 2011, attack at St. Margaret of Scotland Parish, 9837 S. Throop St., police said.

Two suspects attacked Rev. Daniel Mallette while wearing "ninja masks" about 12:20 a.m. after they broke into the rectory as he lay sleeping, police said at the time of the incident.

The suspects forced Mallette to his knees, beat him with a "blunt instrument" and took more than $500 in cash from a safe at the church before running away, parish council chairman Patrick Catania said after the incident.

Mallette, then 80, suffered two broken ribs and bruising in the attack, authorities said. He was treated at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn and released the same day, police said.

Harris, of the 1300 block of West 97th Street, is charged with felony counts of aggravated battery of a victim over 60, armed home invasion and armed robbery, police said.

Meanwhile, the second suspect still remains at large, police said.

Harris was arrested Thursday and is scheduled to appear in bond court Friday, police said.

(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2014. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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