Cirignano back in court on June 28

Larry Cirignano, former executive of Catholic Citizenship, goes back to court June 28 for a pre-trial hearing in connection with the charges against him for allegedly assaulting a pro-marriage equality demonstrator at a VoteOnMarriage.org rally in Worcester last December. This follows an earlier pre-trial hearing at Worcester County District Court June 8. Tim Connolly, spokesperson for Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early, Jr., said it is unknown whether there will be a trial date set at this week's hearing.

Early's office has charged Cirignano with misdemeanor assault and battery and civil rights violations for allegedly shoving Sarah Loy, a civil marriage rights supporter who took part in a counter-rally across the street from the VoteOnMarriage rally to oppose the organization's campaign to ban same-sex marriage through a constitutional amendment. Cirignano, who spoke at the VoteOnMarriage rally, was one of the architects of the signature campaign that sent VoteOnMarriage's amendment to the legislature, where it was defeated this month. Shortly after the incident occurred, Cirignano stepped down from his position at Catholic Citizenship to head an as-yet-not-publicly-named Catholic political organization based out of Washington, D.C.