Josh Duggar’s Trial: Who Is Matthew Waller? Here’s Why His Testimony Got Heated
Josh Duggar’s trial continues on Dec. 3, 2021, after a difficult few days. The first couple of days of the trial featured a number of testimonies from those who knew Josh Duggar and the rest of the Duggar family as well as from Homeland Security agents. On Dec. 2, Matthew Waller testified — and the courtroom became heated. So, who is Matthew Waller, and what happened during his testimony? Here’s what we know.
Who is Matthew Waller? He testified in Josh Duggar’s trial
A number of Duggar family members appeared in court on Thursday, Dec. 2, 2021, for Josh Duggar’s trial. Joy-Anna Duggar and her husband, Austin Forsyth, Derick Dillard, Justin Duggar and his wife, Claire Spivey, as well as Anna Duggar, were in the courtroom.
As for the day’s testimonies, Matthew Waller took the stand and spoke. So, who is Matthew Waller? According to People, Waller worked at Josh’s car lot, Wholesale Motorcars, at the same time Josh did from January through April 2019. During Waller’s testimony, he said he and Josh were the only ones working full-time at the lot. Additionally, he has connections to the Duggar family. David Waller, Matthew Waller’s brother, is married to Anna Duggar’s sister, Priscilla, Waller. David and Priscilla are also devoutly religious, as seen on their blog.
Prior to the trial, Josh’s defense tried to claim that others who worked at Wholesale Motorcars and had access to the computer could’ve downloaded the incriminating materials. Prosecutors denied this claim, though. They called it “wishful speculation.”
“Any such evidence is nothing more than wishful speculation based on bare suspicion, which is inadmissible under the legal precedent cited herein,” the prosecution stated.
Matthew Waller’s testimony heated up the courtroom
When Matthew Waller took the stand at Josh Duggar’s trial, the courtroom got heated.
People notes Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin Roberts alleged Josh used a password-protected Linux partition on his computer at Wholesale Motorcars. This would allow him to download child sexual abuse material on one part of the hard drive and not the other. Waller testified on Thursday, Dec. 2. It seems he once had the password to the Wholesale Motorcars computer, but he said he had since forgotten what it was. Josh’s defense attorney then asked Waller if the main password, “Intel1988,” rang a bell. Waller noted that it “very faintly” did ring a bell.
Roberts then got heated over Waller seemingly remembering the password after he claimed not to. “I told you I thought you were hiding something, didn’t I?” Roberts stated in a raised voice. “I asked you specifically if you were intending to testify to something that you were not telling me.”
Waller then noted the defense brought up the word “intel” to him, which may be why it sounded vaguely familiar. But he then verified that the defense only asked him questions and didn’t give him any other information outright.
Jill Duggar and Jedidiah Duggar may testify on Dec. 3, 2021
Matthew Waller’s testimony certainly caused a stir in the courtroom — but Duggar family followers continue to wait to see if Jill Duggar and Jed Duggar testify in Josh Duggar’s trial. The siblings remain on the potential witness list, though The Sun notes it’s unclear whether they’ll testify for the prosecution or defense. It’s also unclear if they’ll potentially testify on Friday, Dec. 3, or if they’ll have to wait longer.
Jill Duggar’s husband, Derick Dillard, arrived in court on Dec. 3. It doesn’t seem like Jed Duggar’s wife, Katey Nakatsu, attended the trial so far.
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