By Mark Caudill
News Journal
August 28, 2009
http://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/article/20090828/NEWS01/90828013
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| John Picard shares some insight with his defense attorney James Banks during one of the early days of the trial |
MANSFIELD — Ex youth pastor John Picard was found guilty on all 42 counts in his sexual battery case Friday afternoon in Richland County Common Pleas Court.
The eight-man, four-woman panel got the case just before noon and broke for lunch. Jurors returned just after 4:30 p.m.
Picard, 41, of Englewood, could receive up to 110 years in prison. No sentencing date has been set.
He was convicted of sexual misconduct with female parishioners at Grace Brethren Church on Marion Avenue, where he was youth pastor.
Attorneys delivered their closing arguments this morning. About 20 people, including three of the alleged victims, watched from the gallery.
Richland County Assistant Prosecutor Bambi Couch-Page told jurors not to worry about ages of the alleged victims, some of whom were adults when they said they had sexual relationships with Picard.
“It doesn’t matter if the person was a juvenile or an adult,” she said.
In her hour-long closing argument, Couch-Page said Picard had a hold over the six alleged victims.
“He used his age, his innate abilities to manipulate and, most importantly, his position as a youth pastor to take advantage of these young women,” the assistant prosecutor said.
Defense attorney James Banks told jurors they would have to decide between morality and legality. Banks maintained the sexual relationships were affairs, not abuse.
Banks said police failed to make a case against Picard when they initially investigated him in 2005, adding some of the alleged victims didn’t come forward until Picard was arrested in July 2008.
“That’s when the young ladies had to make a choice: Do I become a victim, or do I get shunned for being involved with a married man?” Banks said.
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