Josh Duggar’s Assault on His Sisters Will Be Re-Examined In Court — Days After His Child Porn Case Goes to Trial
ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS
- Josh Duggar is currently facing decades in prison because of his alleged possession of child porn.
- Duggar previously came under fire in 2015 for allegedly molesting five young girls — including four of his sisters.
- His sisters Jill, Jessa, Jinger, and Joy-Anna are suing the city of Springdale over the news going public.
Josh Duggar will soon be on trial facing charges of possessing child porn. But that’s not the only court case the former 19 Kids & Counting star is involved in this holiday season. A case connected to Josh’s assault on his sisters is going to court in December. But it’s not for the reason fans would expect.
Josh Duggar is facing decades in prison
In April 2021, federal agents arrested Josh “for receiving and possessing material depicting the sexual abuse of children.”
In the press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Arkansas, it was revealed that Josh allegedly used the internet to “download child sexual abuse material.”
“Duggar allegedly possessed this material, some of which depicts the sexual abuse of children under the age of 12, in May 2019,” the statement read.
If Josh is found guilty, he faces up to 20 years in prison and $250,000 in fines for each count.
The former reality star’s trial begins November 30
Over the past six months, Josh’s legal team has filed multiple motions in an attempt to get the indictment completely dismissed. Or at the very least have a couple of the charges against Josh dropped. However, in September 2021 the judge denied four of Josh’s five motions.
The prosecution has also filed a motion to include evidence from Josh’s molestation scandal that broke in 2015 in his current child porn trial. Josh’s lawyers have argued against it in an attempt to prevent the prosecution from bringing up Josh’s past.
According to Fox News, Judge Timothy L. Brooks ordered an evidentiary hearing with witnesses to take place on November 29. Just one day before Josh’s trial is scheduled to begin.
Josh Duggar’s sexual assault case is going to court in an unexpected way
Just days after Josh’s child porn trial, a different judge will be reviewing the sexual assault case of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar’s oldest child.
Counting On fans will recall that back in 2015, In Touch filed a Freedom of Information Act request that revealed Josh had molested five young girls — including four of his sisters — when he was a teenager.
The publication obtained police records that indicated Josh escaped prosecution when Jim Bob negotiated a deal. Despite admitting that his son had touched four of his daughters — Jill, Jessa, Jinger, and Joy-Anna — inappropriately.
But, Josh isn’t facing criminal charges. Instead, the four Duggar girls filed a lawsuit against the police and sheriff’s department that released Josh’s criminal records in the FOIA request.
The Duggar girls filed their lawsuit in 2017
It’s been four years since Jill, Jessa, Jinger, and Joy-Anna filed their lawsuit. Now a trial date has been set. Opening arguments are scheduled to begin in the Duggar sisters’ civil suit against the city of Springdale, Arkansas, on December 9.
The Duggar girls are unhappy with local law enforcement because they made the information about the crimes committed against them public. This is information the prosecutor would have never been made aware of in Josh’s current child porn case, if not for the FOIA request.
Josh Duggar’s defense team is claiming he never assaulted his sisters
Before the Duggar girls go to court against the city of Springdale, Josh’s legal team in his criminal case will reportedly be arguing that the molestation never happened. According to The Hollywood Gossip, the defense has filed court documents arguing that the evidence against Josh is flimsy.
They say that there’s no proof that Josh molested his sisters. Despite the fact that Jim Bob and all of Josh’s victims have confirmed that it did happen.
Josh Duggar’s next court date will be November 29.
