BishopAccountability.org
	4 Amish Bishops Charged By Doug Magditch KSPR November 3, 2009 http://www.kspr.com/news/local/68869112.html In early October, Johnny Schwartz was arrested. He faces charges of statutory sodomy and child molestation. Investigators say four leaders of the Amish church allegedly knew about the abuse, but didn't report it. Christian Schwartz, 40, Jacob Schwartz, 79, Emmanuel Eicher,44, and Peter Eicher, 59, all face misdemeanor charges of failing to report sexual crimes against a child. "They feel that they stay out of our lives and we should stay out of their lives and they don't want to involve themselves in with our legal process," says Webster Co. Sheriff Roye Cole. Instead, they shunned Schwartz. "They feel they have the authority through God to handle it their own way," says Cole. Under state statute, church ministers are mandated to report child abuse to law enforcement. "They were really making a religious argument that they can't report a brother to the law," says Cole. We did try to speak with members of the Amish community in Webster Co., but they refused to comment on the case, saying, simply, "we let God decide." "Religious convictions are no excuse for disobeying the law," says Webster Co. Prosecutor Dannett Padgett. The Webster Co. Sheriff's department met with members of the Amish community in October to explain that abuse needs to be reported. Sheriff Cole says he doesn't know if the message stuck. "If it happens again, do I think they'll report it? I don't know," says Cole. The count wants to make clear, the law says they have to. "If you have probable cause to believe abuse or neglect has happened, you have a responsibility to report that," says Padgett. If convicted, the men would each face up to a year in prison and/or a $1,000 fine. Contact: dmagditch@kspr.com
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