Too Many Bizarre Things Going On In This Story

Ksyrup · 05-23-2005, 07:55 AM

Firsrt, obviously, the story itself is absolutely horrible.

Then there's the fact that this guy "unwittingly" implicated himself, his wife, and others by freely describing what they did. There's no suggestion these discussions were with undercover investigators. I mean, WTF...? Don't tell me this guy thinks what he did was normal, so much so that he just discussed it with cops and didn't think anything was going to happen to him.

Then, the article says that aggravated rape of a child under 13 can carry a death sentence. Wow! I wonder how often Louisiana has trotted that one out.

Some fucked up, clueless people in this world....

Police: Church sex abuse case may involve 24 children

Louisiana pastor arrested and charged with child rape

(CNN) -- Police have arrested the pastor of a defunct church in Ponchatoula, Louisiana, his wife and six former congregants in a sexual abuse case involving as many as 24 children, authorities said.
Authorities said they have interviewed five possible victims in the case. Victims may range in age from toddlers to teens, authorities said.

CNN does not identify children involved in sex abuse cases and has chosen not to identify adult defendants because they may share family names with the alleged victims.

Investigators believe the abuse took place between 1999 and 2002 and involved a "select few" congregants of the now-defunct Hosanna Church, Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's spokeswoman Laura Covington said.

On Saturday, law enforcement authorities issued an arrest warrant for a ninth person in the case, said sheriff's deputies in Tangipahoa Parish, where the church was located.

The church's former pastor told deputies Tuesday in nearby Livingston Parish -- where the pastor lives -- that adults were sexually abusing children, parish sheriff's Detective Stan Carpenter said.

The former pastor told deputies he had been having sex with children for many years and "also educated the children as to how to perform sexual acts with each other and with animals," Carpenter said.

Carpenter said the pastor unwittingly implicated himself while talking to investigators. He was arrested and charged with two counts of aggravated rape of a child under age 13 and one count of crimes against humanity for alleged sexual acts involving animals, the detective said.

Among those the pastor allegedly implicated were his 45-year-old wife -- also charged with aggravated rape of a juvenile under age 13, Carpenter said.

Law enforcement authorities conducting the investigation include sheriff's deputies from Tangipahoa Parish, Livingston Parish, officers of the Ponchatoula Police Department and the FBI.

On Friday, a police search of two homes resulted in confiscation of three vehicles, computers and other items that authorities said may be connected to the case. The FBI took custody of the vehicles. Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff Daniel Edwards said some of the crimes are believed to have been committed in the vehicles.

All but one of the defendants in the case are jailed without bond. They are charged with aggravated rape of a child under 13 -- a charge which, if convicted, can carry a death sentence in Louisiana, authorities said.

Also in police custody -- in addition to the pastor and his wife -- are a sheriff's deputy and a woman who tipped off investigators by telephoning them from Ohio, authorities said.

About six weeks before the pastor spoke with Livingston Parish sheriff's deputies, a former church member phoned the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff and tipped off deputies, sheriff's spokesperson Covington said. The 36-year-old woman was taken into custody in Ohio on a Louisiana warrant charging her with aggravated rape of a child under age 13, Covington said.

Bee · 05-23-2005, 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blackadar

Yea, I saw this early this AM. I wondered about the Death Penalty thing too...while I'm not often going around defending Child Abusers, it seems a bit extreme to put one to death.

I'd say it should be the default sentence but that's just me...

Blackadar · 05-23-2005, 07:58 AM

Yea, I saw this early this AM. I wondered about the Death Penalty thing too...while I'm not often going around defending Child Abusers, it seems a bit extreme to put one to death.

CamEdwards · 05-23-2005, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bee

I'd say it should be the default sentence but that's just me...

Yeah, I'm failing to understand what the problem is.

wishbone · 05-23-2005, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

...and one count of crimes against humanity for alleged sexual acts involving animals...

doesn't that seem a little odd? A crime against humanity for being involved with animals? What do they think will happen, that the animal will get our DNA, make themselves smarter and take over the world? I always thought crimes against humanity would be genocide or something similar.

wishbone · 05-23-2005, 09:42 AM

Dola, I am not defending the act at all, just curious about the wording of the charge...

John Galt · 05-23-2005, 11:04 AM

Appyling the death penalty to child molestation would be a horrible idea! Just as when a few states tried to apply it to kidnapping, applying the death penalty to a non-homicide, 1 witness crime, all but ensures you end up with more dead kids. Killing the only witness with no risk of increased punishment should not be the incentive we create for child molestors.

John Galt · 05-23-2005, 11:07 AM

As for the facts, no state since Coker (1977) has applied the death penalty for child molestation. Louisiana had a state Supreme Court case that upheld the DP (State v. Wilson) under this statute, but since it was on an unusual appeal before the trial, the death penalty was never actually applied in that case. Since then, no one has been sentenced to death. When I was researching this issue a couple years ago, 6 states had the death penalty for some forms of aggravated child molestation. And as I said above, it is one of the worst possible ideas for application of the death penalty.

Passacaglia · 05-23-2005, 11:11 AM

This is interesting. I do think the death penalty is extreme, but I'm against the death penalty as it is. On the other hand, a friend of a friend pleaded guilty in a case similar to this. I honestly don't know what the charge was, but I don't think 'aggravated rape' would describe it -- although, with a child under 13, how can you tell if it's aggravated or not? Anyway, I heard from my friend that he got married recently, and he casually mentioned that he had a different name, 'presumably to get around the sex offender list.' Really creeped me out. So anyway, I do feel like more needs to be done -- just not the death penalty.

Franklinnoble · 05-23-2005, 01:06 PM

I don't give a damn if there's a death penalty for child molestation or not. If anyone molests any of my kids, you can bet your ass I'm gonna be like Samuel L. Jackson in "A Time To Kill."

Honolulu_Blue · 05-23-2005, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Franklinnoble

I don't give a damn if there's a death penalty for child molestation or not. If anyone molests any of my kids, you can bet your ass I'm gonna be like Samuel L. Jackson in "A Time To Kill."

Yes, they deserved to die and I hope they burn in hell?

05-23-2005, 11:04 AM	#7
John Galt Pro Starter Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: The Internets	Appyling the death penalty to child molestation would be a horrible idea! Just as when a few states tried to apply it to kidnapping, applying the death penalty to a non-homicide, 1 witness crime, all but ensures you end up with more dead kids. Killing the only witness with no risk of increased punishment should not be the incentive we create for child molestors. __________________ I do mind, the Dude minds. This will not stand, ya know, this aggression will not stand, man. - The Dude

05-23-2005, 11:07 AM	#8
John Galt Pro Starter Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: The Internets	As for the facts, no state since Coker (1977) has applied the death penalty for child molestation. Louisiana had a state Supreme Court case that upheld the DP (State v. Wilson) under this statute, but since it was on an unusual appeal before the trial, the death penalty was never actually applied in that case. Since then, no one has been sentenced to death. When I was researching this issue a couple years ago, 6 states had the death penalty for some forms of aggravated child molestation. And as I said above, it is one of the worst possible ideas for application of the death penalty. __________________ I do mind, the Dude minds. This will not stand, ya know, this aggression will not stand, man. - The Dude

05-23-2005, 11:11 AM	#9
Passacaglia Coordinator Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Big Ten Country	This is interesting. I do think the death penalty is extreme, but I'm against the death penalty as it is. On the other hand, a friend of a friend pleaded guilty in a case similar to this. I honestly don't know what the charge was, but I don't think 'aggravated rape' would describe it -- although, with a child under 13, how can you tell if it's aggravated or not? Anyway, I heard from my friend that he got married recently, and he casually mentioned that he had a different name, 'presumably to get around the sex offender list.' Really creeped me out. So anyway, I do feel like more needs to be done -- just not the death penalty. Last edited by Passacaglia : 05-23-2005 at 11:11 AM.

05-23-2005, 07:58 AM	#3
Blackadar Retired Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Fantasyland	Yea, I saw this early this AM. I wondered about the Death Penalty thing too...while I'm not often going around defending Child Abusers, it seems a bit extreme to put one to death.

05-23-2005, 09:42 AM	#6
wishbone High School JV Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Hillsboro OR	Dola, I am not defending the act at all, just curious about the wording of the charge...

05-23-2005, 01:06 PM	#10
Franklinnoble Banned Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Placerville, CA	I don't give a damn if there's a death penalty for child molestation or not. If anyone molests any of my kids, you can bet your ass I'm gonna be like Samuel L. Jackson in "A Time To Kill."

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)