NEW YORK
WKTV
[with video]
By Joleen Ferris Jun. 22, 2016
Twenty-four hours before his trial on murder and other charges was set to begin, Word of Life defendant Bruce Leonard entered a guilty plea in Oneida County Court. Before Leonard, the father of the two teen victims, could plead guilty to two charges of assault, he had to make a plea allocution, where he detailed his involvement in the beating death of Lucas, 19, and the assault of Christopher, 17. The process was clearly painful for Leonard, who faltered at the podium, having to sit down several times.
“How many times would you estimate you whipped Lucas?” asked Oneida County District Attorney Scott McNamara, the prosecutor. “I’m going to say 20,” replied Leonard. “It was forceful.”
Leonard acknowledged that he and Word of Life Pastor Tiffanie Irwin were upset that Lucas had gone with his sister to another church. McNamara revealed Lucas’ punishment from Irwin.
“Assignment, write 700 times, ‘I will not lie. I will not be rebellious. The rebellious will be cast out. Psalms 5.10,'” said McNamara.
The prosecutor tried to establish how much control Tiffanie Irwin, still facing murder and other charges, had over Bruce Leonard.
“Would it be fair to say that Tiffanie Irwin had a lot of control over you and your family?” asked McNamara. “On that particular….um, substantial influence. I don’t know if you could say a lot of control but substantial influence,” replied Bruce Leonard. McNamara read several text messages from Leonard to Irwin, where he tells her how much time he spent reading the Bible that day and what parts he’d read.
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