(July 23, 2012) Pope Benedict XVI's jailed butler was released from custody on Saturday
and placed under house arrest as a decision on whether to indict him neared. Paolo
Gabriele was arrested May 23 on suspicion of stealing and leaking documents in a case
that embarrassed the pope while hinting at corruption, infighting and power struggles
at the Vatican's highest levels. Gabriele has been allowed to return to his family
home within the Vatican pending a decision on whether he will stand trial, Vatican
spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi said in a statement. Gabriele's lawyers told reporters
that Gabriele had fully cooperated with the investigation, and that they would be
ready to face a trial in case of an indictment. They denied that he was part of any
conspiracy. ``There are no networks or plots inside or out of the Vatican relating
to Paolo Gabriele,'' lawyers Carlo Fusco and Cristiana Arru were quoted by the news
agency ANSA as saying. The lawyers said that Fusco would like the chance to ask
the pope's forgiveness. ``Now, clearly, we need to assess the opportunity for such
a gesture,'' they said. A special panel of cardinals, meanwhile, has briefed the pope
about its own, separate investigation of Holy See internal affairs.