By Mark Caudill
News Journal
August 28, 2009
http://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/article/20090828/NEWS01/908280310/1002/Picard-guilty-on -all-counts-in-sex-battery-case
MANSFIELD — Ex youth pastor John Picard was found guilty on 42 counts of sexual battery in Richland County Common Pleas Court Friday afternoon.
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| John Picard and attorney James Banks listen to testimony Thursday in Richland County Common Pleas Court. Photo by Dave Polcyn |
The verdict was read around 4:45 p.m. and no sentencing date was announced.
Defense attorney James Banks chose to rest his case Thursday without calling any witnesses. Picard did not take the stand in his own defense.
The state called its final three witnesses, including Mansfield police Lt. Allen Vandayburg. He and Detective Jeff Shook went to Springboro, where Picard had moved, to interview him in July 2008. Police had taped a phone conversation between Picard and one of his alleged victims. In the conversation, Picard encouraged the woman to keep their relationship a secret.
Vandayburg played the tape for Picard.
"His demeanor changed. He had been upbeat," the lieutenant said. "He kind of slouched and dropped his head."
Vandayburg said Picard then admitted wrongdoing.
"He said, 'I don't know how to stop. For years, I knew this was a problem,' " Vandayburg said.
On cross-examination, Banks asked Vandayburg why he didn't tape Picard's statement.
"I was in an interview," he said. "I wasn't going to stop the interview by sticking a recorder in his face."
Vandayburg said he thought he could get a taped statement from Picard based on what he had revealed. Instead, Picard asked for an attorney, bringing the interview to a close.
"He gave me some admissions. He didn't give a confession," Vandayburg said.
"A confession is what I was going for. I wanted him to disclose everything. He declined."
Before Vandayburg's testimony, Banks moved for a mistrial. He said the testimony from one of the state's witnesses differed from the deposition she gave in her divorce case. Banks wanted the counts involving the woman dismissed, or to have her testimony stricken, if he could not get the judge to a mistrial.
Richland County Common Pleas Judge James Henson ruled against the Dublin attorney.
"The depositions don't say what you say they say," he told Banks.
Assistant Prosecutor Bambi Couch-Page closed her case with Shook, the lead investigator. Shook began investigating Picard in 2005, but said some witnesses weren't cooperating. The detective concluded any sexual relationship was consensual.
Shook reopened the case last year when another alleged victim came forward.
"I never knew the gravity of the coercion that was going on until 2008," the detective said. "He had total control of their bodies and faith. He was fulfilling his sexual gratification with several people."
Shook said Picard drove a wedge between the alleged victims and their families.
"He picked people who didn't have anyplace to go but him," Shook said.
Monitor MansfieldNewsJournal.com for more on this story as details evolve.
Contact: mcaudill@nncogannett.com or 419-521-7219.
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