A jury in Arizona convicted a Catholic bishop of leaving the scene of a crime.

Bishop Thomas O'Brien, 68, hit and killed Jim L. Reed, 43, a Navajo man, last June. He testified that it "never occurred" to him that he may have hit a pedestrian.

Reed's family did not make any public statements but were seen reacting emotionally to the verdict. A sister told a news station she "was sad because I'll never get my brother back."

O'Brien is believed to be the highest-ranking Roman Catholic leader in the nation to stand trial on felony charges and be convicted. He faces 45 months in prison.

According to The Arizona Daily Star, O'Brien's handling of priest abuse cases could affect his sentence. He alleged covered up allegations of sexual abuse as head of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix.

Get the Story:
O'Brien convicted (The Arizona Republic 2/18)
Bishop O'Brien guilty in deadly hit-and-run (The Arizona Daily Star 2/18)
Bishop Convicted in Fatal Hit-and-Run (The Washington Post 2/18)
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Jury Finds Bishop Guilty in a Fatal Hit-and-Run Accident (The New York Times 2/18)
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Relevant Links:
Arizona's priest scandal - http://www.azcentral.com/specials/priest

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Ariz. priest going on trial in Navajo man's death (1/12)
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