Montco lawyer works despite pending rape charge

The morning after his arrest on accusations that he raped a client, a Montgomery County defense lawyer was back at work, defending clients at the same courthouse where he will soon stand before a judge as a defendant.

Vincent A. Cirillo Jr. was charged Monday with raping a 22-year-old client at her West Norriton apartment last month. Police said the woman was unconscious at the time of the rape, and a criminal complaint filed in the case says Cirillo admitted the assault in a conversation recorded by investigators.

Cirillo said Tuesday that he would fight the charges and continue to work as a criminal defense lawyer, He appeared in Montgomery County Court for several pretrial conference hearings Tuesday morning and was scheduled to appear in Berks County Court in the afternoon.

"I had court appearances this morning, and I work by myself, so there was no one else I could send there to be there," he said Tuesday afternoon. "Yes, I'm planning on continuing to work."

Lawyers charged with crimes do not automatically lose their law licenses, but can be disbarred or suspended through a disciplinary process.

Cirillo said clients had asked about his arrest. He said he explains the situation and tells them they can find another attorney if they wish.

"I think pretty much everyone has either read in the paper or they saw it in the news," he said. "And my response to that is that you haven't heard my side of it yet, and I'm planning on defending or fighting these allegations."

Cirillo, 56, of Gladwyne, is the son of the late Superior Court Judge Vincent A. Cirillo.

Police said Cirillo raped the woman in her bed on Aug. 3 after meeting to discuss the case in which he was hired to represent her. The woman told police that she believes Cirillo drugged her because at one point in the evening, he was alone with her drink for about five minutes and then repeatedly encouraged her to drink more.

She told police that after a few sips of the drink, she felt impaired, light-headed, and dizzy. She said it was not an "alcohol feeling," according to the criminal complaint.

Others were in the apartment earlier in the evening, police said, and drank alcohol with the woman and Cirillo. They told police, as did some of her neighbors, that the woman was acting impaired and was struggling to stand up.

The woman said she did not remember what happened after 9 that evening. Someone returned to the apartment and found her unconscious on her bed in only her underwear. She was taken to a hospital for treatment.

The woman said Cirillo admitted in conversations in the following days that he had intercourse with her while she was unconscious. She reported the encounter to police three days after the alleged assault.

Detectives arranged to provide surveillance while the woman met with Cirillo at her apartment on Aug. 8. He acknowledged having sex with her, according to the complaint, by confirming that he used a condom and telling her that he had no venereal diseases.

"I'm your lawyer; I can't lie to you," he told the woman, according to court documents.

Investigators approached Cirillo after his meeting with the woman. He said he knew he could be in legal trouble for what happened "because of her condition at the time," police said. He later denied that statement, in a written statement to police, and told investigators that he had sexual contact with the woman but not intercourse.

Police also found photographs of the woman in her bed on Cirillo's phone; in each photo, she appears to be unconscious.

Cirillo declined to comment Tuesday about his statements to police.

He is charged with five felonies, including rape of an unconscious victim, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, and sexual assault.

Cirillo was arraigned Monday, posted bail, and waived his preliminary hearing. His next court hearing had not been scheduled as of Tuesday afternoon.