Update Pastor Found Guilty of Sexual Abuse, WOWK, February 27, 2009

Update: Pastor Found Guilty of Sexual Abuse

WOWK
February 27, 2009

http://wowktv.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=53262

That verdict brought tears to victims and their families in the courtroom who had doubts about the outcome. WEB EXTRA: Watch Interview with Victim.

CHARLESTON -- Guilty on all charges -- that's the jury verdict against a former Kanawha County pastor. The jury took three hours this afternoon to find Sandy Cook guilty of multiple counts of sexual assault and sexual abuse involving teenage boys that attended his church.

Kanawha County Circuit COurt Judge Irene Berger read the verdict. "We the jury find the defendant Sandy Martin Cook guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of sexual assault in the third degree"

That verdict brought tears to victims and their families in the courtroom who had doubts about the outcome.

"That it would be a hung jury was my biggest fear, but it came back and they were all guilty. It was quite relieving to know that someone else realized the pain I've been through," says Jose Strickland, a victim of Pastor Cook.

He was the first of three victims to testify during the trial, giving graphic testimony of the sexual abuse and assault. Those incidents happened in the early 1990's. Strickland says he took a long time to finally speak up about it.

"This was not something I wanted to admit to myself let alone anyone else. I solely came forward and decided this was enough. I couldn't live this way with three kids and have this bottled up inside," says Stickland.

"Everybody paints this picture that everything is fine with these guys. They are not going through what we are going through at home. In the middle of the night my husband would wake up with nightmares, sitting and crying to me like a little baby," says Misty Strickland, Jose's wife.

Over time the Strickland's hope their lives can return to normal. Meanwhile, the judge revoked Cook's bond and he was immediately taken into custody. A sentencing date has not been set.