Graphic testimony outlines alleged sexual abuse, counseling session in Word of Life case

WKTV
June 28, 2016

http://goo.gl/FyKvsQ

UTICA, N.Y. - Testimony continues Tuesday in the Sarah Ferguson trial. NewsChannel 2’s Joleen Ferris is in Oneida County court live tweeting. Follow her at @joleenferris for updates.

Witness Grace Leonard, 16, took the stand. She is Sarah’s sister and a lifelong member of the Word of Life church.

Warning: Graphic testimony below (from Grace’s account)

Grace says her brother, Lucas, watched her take a shower through a peephole. She didn’t catch him, but was told by Lucas and Pastor Tiffanie.

Grace says she was moved to the attic of the family home to keep her safe and to protect her from her brothers, Christopher and Lucas. She lived up there with Sarah and her kids. (This is the same house as the Leonards.)

She also says the younger kids (Sarah’s kids), were only in the attic a few minutes at a time because she and Sarah were worried what would happen.

The kids were not allowed to watch TV with Christopher or Lucas.

Grace says she was a victim of sexual abuse at age four or five by both of her brothers, and that it wasn’t a one-time incident. She says it continued until she was 13. Lucas would have been nine or 10 when the abuse started, and Christopher would have been seven or eight.

Grace says she told Pastor Tiffanie about the abuse, but was unaware if anyone talked about going to the police. Tiffanie allegedly made sure she was safe.

She says church services, for the 20-25 members, generally last 11 hours with breaks. Counseling sessions are a familiar phrase, akin to a therapy session to them. Grace says they usually only involve Pastor Tiffanie.

The fatal October 11 counseling session was also discussed in Grace’s testimony. She says Pastor Tiffanie called out Lucas during the church service which was about witchcraft. He was asked to stand up and was asked why he wanted to leave the church. Grace recalls him saying he wanted to leave so he could “molest little girls without getting caught.”

The Leonard family was asked to stay after the service for a counseling session that began with a discussion of the Leonard family home and codes violations.

The sexual abuse allegations were then brought up with Pastor Tiffanie asking pointed questions. The boys were “not really” answering. Grace, Sarah and Deborah were also asking questions.

Grace says she punched her brother Christopher in the back when he wouldn’t answer a question about “how he molested her niece.”

She says she was the first to have physical contact with one of the boys, and says Joseph Irwin was the next. Joseph Irwin allegedly told Christopher he had three seconds to answer a question, but then punched him “not that hard” when he didn’t reply. Chris doubled over.

Grace says Sarah’s demeanor during the session was “shocked, hurt and angry.”

The questioning then shifted to Lucas with similar questions about Sarah’s children. Members were becoming frustrated that he was not answering questions, and Pastor Tiffanie’s voice was becoming more intense.

Grace says Joseph Irwin then punched and kicked Lucas in the stomach when he wasn’t responding to questions. She says no one told him to stop. She also says Irwin told Bruce Leonard that if he told him to stop, he would.

Grace was visibly upset during the testimony about the beating. She says the boys starting making admissions when people started hitting them. Grace says Deborah Leonard started hitting them with her fists saying “How dare you? Those are your nieces and nephews.”

Grace say an extension cord in Linda Morey’s hand, who gave it to Deborah. She says Deborah whipped both boys on the back and chest, approximately 15 times. She identified the cord used in the beating brought forth by the court.

Bruce then asked for the cord, who also then beat the boys, saying that they lied to him, pretending to his face.

The boys asked for the beatings to stop.

The cord was then passed to Sarah, who hit the boys in their genital areas. Grace says she's unsure of how many times Sarah hit the boys and that she was the last person to hit them.

Grace saw blood on "sanctuary floor, Luke's sleeve and his pants."

She also thinks Christopher was wearing headphones so he couldn't corroborate story with Lucas.

Pastor Tiffanie notified Bruce and Deborah Leonard the next day, saying it was important. Grace says no one went to police because Linda's husband is an officer and he told them "what happens to those people."

She also says she didn't think Christopher needed medical attention. "He seemed fine." When the prosecutor asked what training Grace has in assessing need for medical attention, she said, "When I grow up, I want to be a doctor."

A New York State Police investigator for the Forensic Identification Unit took the stand next for prosecution. The investigator went to St. Luke's ER and says he saw that Lucas Leonard was very, very bruised on hips, groin and inner thighs with dried blood down his leg. He then executed a search warrant at the Word of Life church.

Crime scene photos were shown to the court. A closet with a bunch of cords and headsets was shown. The investigator says a damaged cord caught her attention - as it wasn't coiled like the rest and the prongs were bent inward.

The investigator also processed the white Dodge Caravan that dropped off Lucas at the ER. It had blood smeared on the hood and on the bottom of the sliding door.

On October 29, the investigator found blood on the walls and backs of doors in the church. She says they may have missed it before because doors were open, obscuring it.

(Note: This is all allegations from witness testimony.)

Joleen will have a report on what happened in court during the Live at Five Newshour and NewsChannel 2 at 6:00.