Newark police officials announced the arrest the man convicted of punching a bishop in the face during a Mass at Sacred Heart Basilica two years ago, this time for assaulting a police officer on Easter Sunday.
According to a statement released by Newark police, Mr. Charles Miller, 51, of Newark was arrested earlier in the day for criminal mischief, when he returned to a gas station convenience store where he had shattered the glass door the day before. While being processed, he assaulted a police officer and was charged with aggravated assault.
According to reports, on Jan. 27, 2017, Miller calmly walked up to the altar where Most Rev. Manuel Cruz, the Auxiliary Archbishop of the Newark Diocese, was saying Mass and sucker punched Cruz in the face. The incident was captured on video and went viral, as did Miller’s obscenity rant in court that week where he professed to be a preacher himself.
According to police, for assaulting Cruz, Miller spent several months in jail before being released in June of 2017.
Officials say, in this new incident, police were called to the gas station on the Saturday before Easter after a man fitting Miller’s description refused to leave the store, then stormed out shattering the door.
Miller returned the next day, wearing the same clothes and police were called. As police questioned Miller about the incident and an outstanding warrant, Miller lunged at one of the officers and punched him in the face.
Police then arrested Mr. Charles Miller and charged him with aggravated assault on a police officer, resisting arrest and criminal mischief.
These charges are merely accusations. Each suspect is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.