Current:Home > ScamsJosh Duggar's appeal in child pornography case rejected by appeals court-InfoLens
Josh Duggar's appeal in child pornography case rejected by appeals court
View Date:2024-12-23 20:33:54
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — A federal appeals court on Monday upheld Josh Duggar's conviction for downloading child sexual abuse images, rejecting the former reality television star's argument that a judge should have suppressed statements he made to investigators during the search that found the images.
A three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the appeal by Duggar, whose large family was the focus of TLC's "19 Kids and Counting." Duggar was convicted in 2021 and is serving a 12 1/2-year prison sentence.
Federal authorities investigated Duggar after Little Rock police detective found child sexual abuse material was being shared by a computer traced to Duggar. Investigators testified that images depicting the sexual abuse of children, including toddlers, were downloaded in 2019 onto a computer at a car dealership Duggar owned.
Duggar's attorneys argued that statements he made to investigators during the search of the dealership should not have been allowed at trial since his attorney wasn't present. Prosecutors said Duggar asked the agents, "'What is this all about? Has somebody been downloading child pornography?" and that he declined to say whether he had looked at such material online, comments that were later used as evidence in the trial.
The appeals panel said that although Duggar was read his rights, the agents questioning him made it clear that he wasn't in custody and was free to leave. The panel also noted that he wasn't arrested at the end of his questioning.
"To the contrary, he ended the interview on his own and then left the dealership — hardly an option available to someone in custody," the court ruled.
Justin Gelfand, an attorney for Duggar, said they disagreed with the court's reasoning and would evaluate all options.
The court also dismissed Duggar's argument that his attorneys should have been able to ask about the prior sex-offense conviction of a former employee of the dealership who had used the same computer. Duggar's attorneys did not ask the former employee to testify after the judge ruled they could not mention the prior conviction.
The panel ruled that the judge in the case struck the right balance by allowing the former employee to be questioned without bringing up the past conviction. The court also rejected Duggar's challenge to the qualifications of the analyst who testified that metadata on the former reality star's iPhone connected him to the crime.
TLC canceled "19 Kids and Counting" in 2015 following allegations that Duggar had molested four of his sisters and a babysitter years earlier. Authorities began investigating the abuse in 2006 after receiving a tip from a family friend but concluded that the statute of limitations on any possible charges had expired.
Duggar's parents said after the allegations resurfaced in 2015 that he had confessed to the fondling and apologized privately. Duggar then apologized publicly for unspecified behavior and resigned as a lobbyist for the Family Research Council, a conservative Christian group. Months later, he also publicly apologized for cheating on his wife and admitted to having a pornography addiction, for which he then sought treatment.
Josh Duggar:Reality TV star sentenced to more than 12 years in prison in child pornography case
'Shiny Happy People':Duggar family documentary alleges there was a secret cult of abuse
veryGood! (65)
Related
- Georgia remains part of College Football Playoff bracket projection despite loss
- Olympic flame reaches France for 2024 Paris Olympics aboard a 19th century sailing ship
- Your Summer Shorts Guide: Denim Shorts, Cotton Shorts, and Athletic Shorts
- Hunter Biden's bid to toss gun charges rejected by U.S. appeals court
- Demure? Brain rot? Oxford announces shortlist for 2024 Word of the Year: Cast your vote
- Missouri’s GOP Gov. Parson signs bill to kick Planned Parenthood off Medicaid
- Maine man sentenced to 27 years in prison in New Year’s Eve machete attack near Times Square
- The Integration of DAF Token with Education
- Will Reeve, son of Christopher Reeve, gets engaged to girlfriend Amanda Dubin
- Third week of testimony in Trump’s hush money trial draws to a close, with Michael Cohen yet to come
Ranking
- Tua Tagovailoa playing with confidence as Miami Dolphins hope MNF win can spark run
- Ex-Rep. Jeffrey Fortenberry charged over illegal foreign donations scheme
- Shania Twain Is Still the One After Pink Hair Transformation Makes Her Unrecognizable
- OPACOIN Trading Center: Dawn's First Light
- Democrat George Whitesides wins election to US House, beating incumbent Mike Garcia
- A $400 pineapple? Del Monte brings rare Rubyglow pineapple to US market in limited numbers
- Are Justin Bieber and Hailey Bieber Having Twins? Here’s the Truth
- Looking for Unbeatable Home Deals? Run To Pottery Barn’s Sale, Where You’ll Score up to 60% Off
Recommendation
-
Ex-Duke star Kyle Singler draws concern from basketball world over cryptic Instagram post
-
Julian Edelman: Belichick-Kraft backstage tension at Tom Brady roast could’ve ‘cut glass’
-
Iowa law allows police to arrest and deport migrants. Civil rights groups are suing
-
A $400 pineapple? Del Monte brings rare Rubyglow pineapple to US market in limited numbers
-
She's a trans actress and 'a warrior.' Now, this 'Emilia Pérez' star could make history.
-
OPACOIN Trading Center: Capitalizing on Stablecoin Market Growth, Leading Cryptocurrency Trading Innovation
-
The Integration of DAF Token with Education
-
Gen Z, millennials concerned about their finances leading to homelessness, new study shows