guardian:



A mother and father whipped their 19-year-old son to death with an electrical cord during an all-night spiritual counseling session triggered by his desire to leave their church, a a New York court has heard.

Lucas Leonard was subjected to a 12-hour ordeal by his parents, sister and fellow church members at the Word of Life Christian church in New Hartford, New York, on Sunday, police and witnesses alleged.

His 17-year-old brother Christopher was also beaten and was admitted to hospital in a serious condition.

The parents, Bruce and Deborah Leonard, are accused of manslaughter. At a court hearing on Friday, a judge ruled there was sufficient evidence to sustain the charges.

Four other church members, including the victims’ 33-year-old sister, Sarah Ferguson, have been charged with assault. Their hearings will be held later. All six defendants have pleaded not guilty.

Church deacon Daniel Irwin testified at the hearing that he saw Lucas bleeding and in apparent agony. “Lucas was rolling himself back and forth on the floor and making a sustained, monotone moaning,” he said.

He said he received a text message after services ended at 8pm on Sunday saying the Leonard family would be part of a counseling session with the church’s pastor, Tiffanie Irwin, his sister. Irwin said he was not told what the session was about and didn’t participate.

Watching through a window at around 10pm, Irwin said, he saw Bruce Leonard hit Lucas up to six times with what appeared to be a belt and hit Christopher. The young men winced, Irwin said, but Lucas did not try to defend himself.


Their mother hit Lucas with a cord out of anger over “things that he had said”, investigator Todd Grant testified. He said he had not asked her what those things were. A neighbor, James Constantine, said Lucas had talked about moving on and had mentioned that he might join the army. Another investigator, Jason Nellis, said the mother told police the group took turns hitting Lucas and holding him down.

Irwin said that around 10am on Monday panicked church members ran up to him and said they thought Lucas was dead. Irwin said he dashed into the church to find Lucas lying motionless on the floor, and Lucas’s father and brother and Irwin’s mother, church spiritual leader Traci Irwin, trying to resuscitate him. Lucas was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The defendants include Daniel Irwin’s brother, Joseph Irwin. Asked after the hearing whether Daniel Irwin or any additional relatives could face charges, the Oneida County district attorney Scott McNamara said prosecutors “are looking at everybody that’s involved”. He later said he anticipated more people could be charged. Traci and Tiffanie Irwin have not been charged and have not commented.

Bruce Leonard’s attorney argued during the hearing that prosecutors had not proved the couple intended serious injuries to their son. Deborah Leonard’s lawyer said the mother felt helpless to stop an “intervention” that she had not expected to become so harsh.

The roughly 30-year-old Word of Life church once had perhaps 40 or more members but now counts closer to 20, authorities said.

There are thousands of small, independent Christian churches around the US, many of them following a very strict fundamentalist theology, said David Bromley, a religion professor at Virginia Commonwealth University. Their beliefs can lead to strong resistance when a member wishes to leave, he said.

“If you get into a very conservative group where there is only one way and God’s wrath is about to be unleashed on humanity and we’re the faithful remnant, then leaving the group is a very serious condition, from the point of view of members,” Bromley said.

An2elect2:
Away with those cruel parents, they don't know Christ.

hyfr:
There's more tto this story, his parents cant actually kill him because of such mere issue. Hope this article isn't trying to paint christianity black.

hyfr:
There's more tto this story, his parents cant actually kill him because of such mere issue. Hope this article isn't trying to paint christianity black.

sonOfLucifer:
Lol.

The parents doesn't know Johnydon22 rather ...

johnydon22:


The parents doesn't know Johnydon22 rather ...

hahn:
While my mom was bathing me, there was another group of people and one was tied to a tree while one other dude was whipping the hell out of him. When we asked "our" prophetess, she said that they were whipping "evil spirits" out of him.

TrajansKong:


As it should be!! The spirits of errancy and disobedience must be destroyed in the flesh with all severity.

Revelation 2:23
And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

Only yesterday I sent two of my children to the grave (one I drowned for not prostrating before the cross and the other I burnt alive as a witch). Yes, death was their portion. They deserved nothing less. Try as I could, beatings, starvation, chains, my exertions did naught avail and the demons arose within them all the more. So as I, their father, do submit to the wrath, vengeance and terror of the Most High and live in fear of the eternal tortures of Hell-fire, by the power invested in me and my ministry, I delivered them to the Mercy Seat and eternal judgement. Selah!

Be ye therefore ever vigilant and ready to execute His will.

More shall surely follow...

hahn:


Apparently, you are the only true Christian on this forum. People like jeromejnr, malvisguy22, an2select, kingebukasblog, winner01 etc are only pretending as they do not honor god's word as it should be.

hahn:


Apparently, you are the only true Christian on this forum. People like jeromejnr, malvisguy22, an2select, kingebukasblog, winner01 etc are only pretending as they do not honor god's word as it should be.

Carry on bro. Kirikiri has crowded cells awaiting your arrival

An2elect2:
Away with those cruel parents, they don't know Christ.

Jeromejnr:
Na wa o!

TrajansKong:

Mock not!
The Bible teaches that death, floggings, stoning, burning and rape are just and meet punishments for the erring child.
Do you doubt the truth of Holy Writ?

Jeromejnr:


Is rape part of the punishment?

TrajansKong:

As it was seen to be a fitting punishment for the women of Midian, Canaan, Amelek and many, many other enemies of God - why would it not serve to crush his foes today?
Is your judgement better than God's??

hahn:
A long time ago when my mom was a celestial church of god member, someone saw a vision and I was supposed to receive a bath by a certain stream for certain spiritual reasons.

While my mom was bathing me, there was another group of people and one was tied to a tree while one other dude was whipping the hell out of him. When we asked "our" prophetess, she said that they were whipping "evil spirits" out of him.

This is actually prevalent in cele churches

TrajansKong:


As it should be!! The spirits of errancy and disobedience must be destroyed in the flesh with all severity.

Revelation 2:23
And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

Only yesterday I sent two of my children to the grave (one I drowned for not prostrating before the cross and the other I burnt alive as a witch). Yes, death was their portion. They deserved nothing less. Try as I could, beatings, starvation, chains, my exertions did naught avail and the demons arose within them all the more. So as I, their father, do submit to the wrath, vengeance and terror of the Most High and live in fear of the eternal tortures of Hell-fire, by the power invested in me and my ministry, I delivered them to the Mercy Seat and eternal judgement. Selah!

Be ye therefore ever vigilant and ready to execute His will.

More shall surely follow...

wiegraf:


It's almost like people don't read their bibles...

Jeromejnr:


Nay! My friend.

For He is a righteous judge. Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble His children.