Suspect sentenced to 114 years in murder of priest

Suspect sentenced to 114 years in murder of priest

A 41-year-old South Side man was sentenced to a total of 114 years in prison for the Nov. 1996 murder of a popular South Side priest.

Burrell Geralds, a caretaker for the wheelchair-bound former pastor of Holy Angels Catholic Church, was recently found guilty of murdering Father Paul Smith, who was found beaten, bound and gagged in his Hyde Park apartment. Geralds and his co-defendant Frederick Carter, were both convicted of the murder in a double jury trial that was presided over by Judge Kenneth J. Wadas.

At the conclusion of the three-hour sentencing hearing, Judge Wadas imposed a 100-year sentence on the charge of first degree murder to run concurrently with a 15-year sentence for residential burglary and a 7-year sentence for robbery. He also sentenced Geralds to a 14-year sentence for possession of a stolen vehicle to be served in a consecutive sentence.

Carter received virtually the same sentence during his sentencing last September.

During the trial, prosecutors charged that Geralds initiated a scheme he carried out with Carter where the two robbed, beat and gagged Father Smith before driving off with his vehicle.

Parishioners from Holy Angels, including the current pastor, John Callicott, Sister Helen Struder and family members of Father Smith attended Wednesday's sentencing. The trial was delayed repeatedly because the original prosecutor was appointed to a judgeship and later the original judge hearing the case, moved on to a higher judicial position.

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