BishopAccountability.org
	Norwalk Pastor Convicted of Sex Abuse By Steve Kobak The Hour November 23, 2011 http://www.thehour.com/story/515079/norwalk-pastor-convicted-of-sex-abuse NORWALK-- A Norwalk pastor faces two years in prison after a jury in Queens, N.Y., found him guilty Wednesday of various charges relating to the sexual abuse of a 13-year-old relative. The Rev. Phillip Joubert, 50, was convicted of five charges, including first- and second-degree sexual abuse. He was acquitted of second-degree incest as well as first- and second-degree rape -- the three most serious charges against him. Joubert's trial began last Wednesday at Queens Supreme Court in Queens, N.Y., and closing arguments were presented on Monday. Philip Russell, who represents Joubert, said the pastor faces a mandatory minimum of two years in prison, and Joubert was taken to Riker's Island shortly after the verdict was handed down. Joubert will be sentenced on Dec. 15. Phyllis Bolden, the victim's aunt, said the family was upset that the jury did not convict Joubert of the most serious offenses. "They were happy with the decision they reached," she said. "Hopefully, they can live with it, because my niece has to deal with this for the rest of her life." Bolden said the two-year ordeal has traumatized her family and devastated her niece. "This whole situation has drained our family. We're saddened by it all," she said. "Hopefully, we can move on from this point." Joubert, the founding pastor of New Light Missionary Baptist Church in Norwalk, was accused of sexually assaulting a female relative on two occasions at his Queens, N.Y., home in the summer of 2009. The rape allegations against Joubert came to light after a Nov. 14, 2009, child abuse incident at Joubert's Norwalk home, police said. During the incident, Joubert allegedly hit the female victim in the face and several times about the torso after he came home to find his Lexington Avenue apartment was messy, according to his arrest warrant affidavit. While officers were interviewing the victim and her mother, the victim revealed that Joubert sexually abused her at his residence in Queens, police said. Norwalk officers turned the rape investigation over to the New York City Police Department. New York City Police arrested Joubert on Nov. 24, 2009, as he arrived at J.F.K. International Airport after a trip to Israel. Joubert admitted to touching the victim's breasts and vagina during a videotaped interview with New York City Police, but the victim alleged that he physically assaulted her and forced her to have sex with him, court documents show. The jury at Joubert's trial was not allowed to see the videotaped confession, because Joubert was misinformed about his rights prior to making the statement. However, Detective Shari McAuliffe, the investigator from the Special Victims Unit who obtained the confession, testified about it in trial. Russell said that Joubert was only convicted of the misconduct that he had admitted to during the videotaped interview, and he was acquitted of the "heinous conduct" alleged by the victim. "It's a bitter vindication," Russell said. "In many ways, this is a vindication, because the jury did not credit the testimony of the complaining witness." Joubert still faces domestic violence charges in Norwalk, and his next court date in that case is scheduled for Dec. 20. Russell said he is holding out hope that the disposition on the New York charges will expedite the process in Norwalk. "We are optimistic that this could be resolved without going to trial," he said. "Hopefully, Pastor Joubert can go back to his calling as soon as possible."
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.