LEE KRAMER'S ROOM: With Views

[jbsliverer]

Speaker Johnson's friends and backers;

ATTN attorneys with cases against SBC: @NAMB_SBC told Fifth Circuit, "Southern Baptist governance is a hierarchy, with the SBC at the top & all churches, associations, conventions & Baptist ministers falling under the governance of the SBC.” #ThisistheSBC https://t.co/EmXL7DIxFC

— Christa Brown (@ChristaBrown777) May 8, 2024

Historically, the SBC was known for evangelism & missions, but lately it's best known for "allegations of a culture of coverup of clergy sexual abuse."

SBC presidential candidate stirs the storm by saying sexual abuse cases a "distraction." #ThisistheSBC https://t.co/AgSy7NFZy8

— Christa Brown (@ChristaBrown777) May 7, 2024

How about telling those distractors to knock it off, that would be good. Stop trying to place the blame on LGBTs

Sylvester deacon charged with nearly 70 counts of child sex crimes
https://www.walb.com/2024/05/08/sylvester-deacon-charged-with-nearly-70-counts-sex-crimes/
By WALB News Team
Published: May. 8, 2024 at 1:20 PM MDT|Updated: 8 hours ago
SYLVESTER, Ga. (WALB) - A South Georgia church deacon and businessman is facing nearly 70 child sex charges after his Tuesday arrest.
Jerry Heflin’s approximately 65 charges include rape, felony aggravated child molestation, aggravated sodomy and sexual battery against a child under 16.
According to the arrest report, the charges stem from a 2016 offense.

Wednesday afternoon, investigators raided a Sylvester business, Lizzy B’s, linked to Heflin. It is unclear what was found during the search.
He was booked into the Worth County Jail after his arrest.
He was denied bond.

WALB has requested more information about what led to Heflin’s arrest.

Holy hell. Police raided the business he owns, "Lizzy B's" and -- drum roll please -- Lizzy B's is a children's used clothing store.

Hope they looked for hidden cameras in the dressing rooms/bathroom. pic.twitter.com/tEOBETAOsl

— Politics Trumps All (@TrumpsPolitics) May 9, 2024

Most are men, but not limited to.

“The Southern Baptist sexual abuse crisis is as much about the countless complicit enablers as it is about the abusers. So long as there are little to no consequences for the enablers & cover-uppers, the predators will persist.”#ThisistheSBC #STILLtheSBC https://t.co/xaAj9Td0Vq

— Christa Brown (@ChristaBrown777) May 2, 2024

Updated: Wichita Falls pastor found guilty of sexually abusing girls in church office
https://www.timesrecordnews.com/story/news/2024/05/07/wichita-falls-pastor-found-guilty-of-sexually-abusing-young-girls-in-church-office/73603512007/
Lynn Walker
Wichita Falls Times Record News

A jury took 58 minutes of deliberation Tuesday to find a Wichita Falls pastor guilty of six counts of indecency with a child.

Ronnie Allen Killingsworth, 79, was found guilty of sexually abusing three young girls, now adults, between 2000 and 2011.

The verdict jury was announced in the 30th District Courtroom before about 70 onlookers, including members of the Rephidim Church where Killingsworth is pastor. The trial was moved from the 78th District Courtroom to accommodate the the size of the crowd that included many members of the congregation.

A Wichita County deputy handcuffs Ronnie Allen Killingsworth, pastor of Rephidim Church in Wichita Falls, on Tuesday in 30th District Court. A jury convicted Killingsworth, 79, on six counts of Indecency with a child for the sexual abuse of three girls in his church. A jury will determine Killingsworth's punishment Wednesday.
In closing arguments, defense attorney Chuck Smith told the jurors prosecutors "didn't come close" to showing Killingsworth was guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. He said the accusations came from a couple of families who wanted to blame the church "for all the misery in their lives."

He said two of the alleged victims "conspired to make it all up."

Prosecutor Bill Vasser asked jurors to consider how the victims would benefit from bringing forth false allegations. He said they had faced a courtroom filled with congregation members making faces at them, and cameras taking their pictures.

"They get to be screwed up mentally for the rest of their lives," he said.

Vasser and Davye Jo Estes are prosecutors in the Tarrant County District Attorney's Office who were brought in for the case to avoid a conflict of interest because Killingsworth's son, Allen, is a Wichita Falls police officer.

During testimony, Killingsworth testified in his own defense, denying the allegations during the trial that began a week ago.

The three victims took the stand to detail sexual abuse that they testified took place in the church office. They told the jury that Killingsworth touched them inappropriately.

Once the guilty verdicts were returned Tuesday, the court began the punishment phase of the trial. Two of Killingsworth's victims testified about the impact the sexual abuse have had on their lives.

"It feels like having to go through the abuse again," one of the women said of the ordeal of the trial.

Killingsworth's son said his father turned 79 on Tuesday and had health problems.

"Any prison sentence you give him is a death sentence," Allen Killingsworth said.

The pastor's wife, Lynda, told the jurors, "You have sentenced an innocent man to prison."

The jury will return Wednesday morning to deliberate Ronnie Kilingsworth's punishment, which could be up to 20 years in prison on each of the counts

The jury consists of six men and six women after 78th District Judge Meredith Kennedy earlier brought in an alternate juror to replace one man on the panel because he had difficulty staying awake.

More:Killingsworth sentenced to 42 years in prison for sexually abusing girls

More:Rephidim deacon: Nothing can persuade him Wichita Falls pastor sexually abused children

More:Prosecutor: Preacher accused of child sex crimes is a "charismatic cult leader"


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