Cult member pleads not guilty in killing of Connecticut cult leader
NEW BRITAIN — One of two men charged in connection with a cult-related killing in Connecticut 14 years ago has pleaded not guilty to murder.
Rudy Hannon pleaded not guilty Monday in the July 2004 death of 70-year-old Paul Sweetman, of Southington.
The 72-year-old Hannon and the other suspect were arrested this summer.
They were members of The Work, a cult started by Julius "Brother Julius" Schacknow in the 1970s. Sweetman was the "Chief Apostle" for Schacknow, who died in 1996.
Investigators say the suspects killed Sweetman and cut up his body with a saw, believing Sweetman was hurting his wife, Joanne. Police say Joanne Sweetman was known as the "Holy Spirit" in the cult.
Hannon's attorney says he's waiting to see the evidence before determining how to move forward.
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