Lawyers: papal decrees violated fraud suspects’ human rights

By NICOLE WINFIELD
Associated Press

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Defense lawyers in the Vatican’s fraud and extortion trial have accused Pope Francis of violating their clients’ human rights by issuing four secret, executive decrees that resulted in an improper investigation and deprived them of basic legal guarantees. The lawyers argued Friday that the resulting trial into the Vatican’s bungled 350 million euro investment in a London real estate deal is illegitimate and the indictments should be thrown out.  The pope’s prosecutors have accused the Holy See’s longtime money manager, Italian brokers and lawyers of fleecing the pope of tens of millions of euros, much of it donations from the faithful. The judge is set to rule on their motions March 1.