Former Shoals Children’s Minister Charged with Sodomy Wants Bond Lowered

By Josh Voight
WHNT
February 7, 2014

http://whnt.com/2014/02/06/former-shoals-childrens-minister-wants-bond-lowered/

Jeff Eddie (Photo: Muscle Shoals Police Dept.)

The defense attorney for a children’s minister charged with sexual abuse filed a motion to have his clients bond lowered Thursday.

Late Tuesday afternoon, Jeffery Dale Eddie, Highland Park Baptist Church children’s minister, was arrested and charged with two counts of child pornography, 31 counts of second-degree sodomy and three counts of sexual abuse of a child under the age of 12.

Eddie’s attorney asked the court to lower his bond from $1,030,000. A judge has not made a ruling on that motion. Eddie’s attorney also asked that the case be dismissed. A judge threw out that motion.

His defense also filed a motion requesting to have the court find Eddie a new attorneym citing a lack of funds.

Court documents, released Wednesday morning, state that while being questioned on Sunday afternoon, Eddie “confessed to performing oral sex and other acts on several of the minor members of his church, numerous times.”

Faith-based counselors from across the state have stepped in to assist the members of Highland Park Baptist Church.