Tina Anderson’s Stepfather, Daniel Leaf, Indicted

It was announced in the morning edition of the Concord Monitor (See below) that a grand jury has indicted Daniel Leaf  on two separate counts of felonious sexual assault against Tina Anderson.  The alleged assaults started with Tina (Dooley) Anderson was ten years old.

Christine Leaf is Tina’s mother.  According to Tina, she told her mother that Daniel Leaf had been molesting Tina once Daniel was committed to New Hampshire state prison.  Daniel Leaf was convicted of molesting a little girl in a fast food restaurant bathroom.

Daniel Leaf is a convicted sex offender with which Christine Leaf continues to remain married to and reside with to this day.   According to the following quote from the Concord Monitor, Christine Leaf still defends her sex-offender husband–even answering the door while he hid inside the house.

“Yesterday afternoon, Christine Leaf answered the door at the couple’s house in Tilton and said she did not think her husband, who was inside, would wish to comment.”

“Really, I don’t think we have anything to say,” Christine Leaf said, asked whether her husband maintains his innocence.”

Daniel Leaf was also convicted of Felony Child abuse in 1993.  He admitted to hitting Tina’s brother, Tom Dooley, with a belt ten (10) times.  Tina has told friends that she hid in the closet and lost count at seventy (70) strikes.

Man named in rape trial now indicted

Stepfather faces sex assault counts

August 23, 2012
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When she testified last year to being raped and impregnated as a teenager in 1997 by a married man who attended her Concord church, Tina Anderson told jurors she also had been sexually assaulted by her stepfather years earlier.

Anderson said at trial that her mother and her pastor at Trinity Baptist told her to forgive her stepfather, Daniel Leaf, for the abuse, and he never faced charges in connection with her allegations.

That changed last week, when a Merrimack County grand jury handed down two aggravated felonious sexual assault indictments charging Leaf with assaulting Anderson between 1990 and 1992, starting when she was 10 years old.

The indictments – which don’t name Anderson – accuse Leaf, 52, of Tilton of intentionally touching the girl’s genitalia with his penis in Concord during different time periods. Leaf is a sex offender listed on the state’s registry with convictions in 1993 for felonious sexual assault and indecent exposure.

He was also convicted of second-degree assault in 1992, according to the registry. Christine Leaf, his wife and Anderson’s mother, testified in court last year that her husband had been found guilty of the assault for spanking her son. She said he spent seven years in prison for the sexual assault conviction, which she said related to a victim who wasn’t one of her children.

Yesterday afternoon, Christine Leaf answered the door at the couple’s house in Tilton and said she did not think her husband, who was inside, would wish to comment.

“Really, I don’t think we have anything to say,” Christine Leaf said, asked whether her husband maintains his innocence.

The Monitor does not normally identify alleged rape victims, but through a friend yesterday Anderson confirmed she was the victim and gave permission to be named in the case. Anderson spoke to media outlets and appeared on ABC’s 20/20 after the 2010 arrest of Ernest Willis, the Gilford man and former Trinity Baptist member convicted last year of raping her twice in 1997.

Anderson, who was 15 at the time of the assaults by Willis, said she was made to stand before the Clinton Street church and apologize for becoming pregnant. She was then sent to Colorado to have her baby, and the Concord police said they were unable to find Anderson. The investigation stalled until 2010, when someone mentioned Anderson’s story on a Facebook page critical of fundamentalist Baptist churches.

Anderson, now 31 and living in Arizona, agreed to be interviewed by the police, which led to the charges against Willis. During last year’s trial in Merrimack County Superior Court, she testified that she initially didn’t tell anyone about being raped by Willis because then-Trinity Baptist pastor Chuck Phelps had told her not to pursue charges against Leaf, instructing her that “a good Christian forgives and forgets.”

Phelps, now the pastor at Colonial Hills Baptist Church in Indianapolis, testified during the May 2011 trial that Anderson never told him she had been sexually abused by Leaf and denied ever telling her to “forgive and forget.”

“I do not preach forgive and forget,” he said. “I teach confront.”

Christine Leaf also denied telling Anderson not to press charges and testified that she contacted the police in 1996 after her daughter said she had been abused by Daniel Leaf.

“She said to me, ‘He touched me,’ ” Christine Leaf said during the trial. Leaf said she reported the allegations about her husband – who was in prison at the time – to a Concord detective and the state Division for Children, Youth and Families, but her daughter “never wanted to talk to the police.” Anderson testified that she believed her mother had told the police she thought her daughter was lying.

The police received a report about Leaf in 1996, but “we weren’t able to proceed with a prosecution,” Concord police Chief John Duval said yesterday. He said he couldn’t provide details late yesterday afternoon about the report and why the police weren’t able to prosecute the case but described the indictments against Leaf as “a result of information that was obtained subsequent to the initial investigation of Willis.”

Anderson said in a 2010 statement that Leaf abused her several times a week when she was a child and her mother was out of the house. She said she didn’t feel comfortable telling anyone about the abuse until Leaf was in prison.

Chuck Phelps Speaks…

Someone relates their conversation with Chuck Phelps.

 I called Chuck Phelps this morning after reading the position statement of Bob Jones University about Chuck Phelps being on the Cooperating Board of BJU. Marshall Frankin had said that people should call Chuck Phelps. Link to position statement here:
I called the church number. The lady that answered said that Chuck Phelps would only speak with those who gave their phone number. I gave my phone number and was transferred. Dr. Chuck Phelps answered.

I explained the reason for my call. 

For the next 12 minutes, Chuck Phelps spoke, I listened quietly.

He first stated that he was glad that I had called, that he had ”waited and waited for people to call and get the truth but no one had been calling.”

He went into great detail relating how he had sought legal council back in 1997 from two attorneys who went to Trinity. He went into detail telling me, that these two attorneys told him he and the church faced possible law suits if Phelps had told the church that Ernie Willis was the father of the baby Tina was carrying when both Tina and Willis stood before the congregation. 

Phelps pointed out that one of the attorneys taught at Franklin Pearce Law School.He stated that Tina had an “ongoing relationship, more that one dinner for her birthday with Ernie after she claimed she was raped.” “She kept seeing him.” 

“You have to understand, Tina was very close to the age of consent.”

(Tina was not over the age of consent when Willis had sex with her.)

Immediately after this statement, Phelps said, “You are only the third person to call me about this.”

He then switched gears completely and began talking about Christine and Daniel Leaf. His thoughts seemed to meander randomly from one topic to another during the conversation.”At the time of Tina’s alleged pregnancy, Christine Leaf was a single mom.” 

(Alleged pregnancy? What an odd statement at this point in time.)

He portrayed Mrs. Leaf as a hard-working single mom. “Tina was rebelling against her mother.”

“Daniel Leaf was in prison for abusing Tom.”

Dr. Phelps:”Tina at no time told me that Daniel had sexually abused her. Tina is lying when she told 20/20 that I had ever told her to go to the prison to confront Daniel. That never happened. That I didn’t do. Her mother testified that this a reconciliation plan from the state of NH for when the time came for Daniel to be released from prison.” 

( Still calling Tina a liar?)

He suddenly switched to complaining about the blogs. 

He stated that he never called Tina a liar from the stand.

“The quote circulated that I called Tina a liar is a bold face lie. I NEVER said such a thing. Never.”

He stated that the prosecutor “Wayne Coull set me up as the bad guy during the trial.” “The prosecutor painted me to be punitive in my dealings with Tina, and lenient with my dealings with Ernie Willis. That was simply not the case.” (It sounded as if Chuck Phelps were crying.)

He rambled on for a few more minutes about how he was portrayed in a bad light by Wayne Coull.

At the 12 minute mark. I said,

“Dr. Phelps, I only have a few more minutes to speak with you, do you mind if I ask you a few questions?”

Chuck Phelps stated, “Don’t interrupt me, I’m not done.”

I said, “Dr. Phelps you have spoken uninterrupted for 12 minutes. I timed it. I have said nothing. I have a few questions, may I please ask my questions?”

Silence.

Me: “Dr. Phelps did you a police report when Tina reported she was pregnant from being raped?”

Phelps: “Yes. Yes. I filed numerous reports. So did Tina’s mother under my direction. Tina’s mother worked for the state of New Hampshire. They knew where to find her.”

Me: “Dr Phelps I am not asking what Christine Leaf did, I am asking what you, yourself did. Did you yourself file a police report?”

Phelps: (Voice raised) Yes! I filed NUMEROUS reports!”

Me: “Dr. Phelps, I am not yelling at you. I have never raised my voice, have I?

“Phelps: “No, you haven’t.”

Me: “I am a truth seeker. Please don’t yell at me. Ok?” 

Me: “Did you make a written police report.”

Phelps: “No, I called the police and DYFUS. Back in 1997 NH law didn’t require written reports.”

Me: “So? You never filed a written report to the police or to DYFUS?”

Phelps: “No as I told you, NH law did not require that to be done back in 1997. I had sought legal counsel on how to proceed.”

Me: “I have to admit, I’m a little confused with your statement that you weren’t required to file a written report to police of DYFUS. especially back in 1997. Your confident that your memory is correct about this?”

Phelps: “I am 100% confident. In 1997 I was not required to make a written police report.”

Me: “Written police report? ok. How about DYFUS, did DYFUS require written reports in 1997?

“Phelps: “I called DYFUS and they told me, this was a police matter now. DYFUS was secondary.”

“Me: “Dr. Phelps, please bare with me. I’m trying to understand. Ok?”

Phelps: “OK”

Me: “Did DYFUS require written reports in 1997?”

Phelps: I’ve already answered that! (Chuck Phelps sounded angry)

Me: “Dr. Phelps did you tell Tina she should be lucky she didn’t live in OT times or she would have been stoned?”

Phelps: “Not in those words.”

Me: “Not in those words? What words did you use?”

Phelps: “I opened the Word of God with her.” 

Me: “You read Deuteronomy 22:23-24?” 

Phelps: “Well, yes. uh but….not only that verse.”

Me: “But you did read Deuteronomy 22:23-24 to Tina? Yes or No? Can you see now, with the benefit of hindsight, of course, how a confused teenage girl would take what you said literally?”

Dr. Phelps: “No. She knew what I meant.”

Dr. Phelps began talking about Ernie Willis’ pending appeal.

Me: “Let’s go back to the reporting issue. You told me that in 1997, NH didn’t require police reports to be written?”

Dr. Phelps: “Yes.”

Me: “You’re telling me, that if I research this, or have an attorney research this. I will find that anyone in New Hampshire in 1997 could merely make a phone call to the police and accuse someone of sex with an underage girl. That phone call would serve as a police report and be the basis of any prosecution for the serious charge of rape of a minor?”

Dr Phelps: “I was required under New Hampshire law to only call the police. I now wish I had camped out in front of the Concord Police station.”

Me: “I don’t believe camping out would have been necessary. Did you return Detective Gagnon’s calls to contact him?”

Dr. Phelps: “Officer Gagnon said he called my wife. That is incorrect. If he had my wife would have given me the message and I would have called him back. He never called me.”

(Earlier the prosecutor “set him up” now Phelps is an accusing a sworn retired police officer of the crime of perjury.)

Phelps changed the subject once again.

Phelps: “Tina said my wife asked her if she enjoyed it. My wife, Linda would never have said such a terrible thing.”

He went on for a few minutes about how he and his wife have “suffered terribly.”

Me: “I don’t know whether your wife made such a statement or not. However, I was asked the same question by Jim Berg and his wife when I told of being sexually abused. I was also told that if I did, I needed to confess that to the Lord. Is it possible that your wife was taught such a thing at BJU? Thought that was an appropriate thing to say because that’s what she had been taught?”

Dr. Phelps: “No! NO! My wife never said such a terrible thing! My wife was a virgin when we got married, and wouldn’t even know to say such a thing!”

(What a strange statement! His wife was a virgin when they got married? What did that have to do with the price of tea in china?)

Me: “As I said, I wasn’t there. However I can tell you, it was said to me in a counseling context.”

Dr. Phelps: “If Dr. Berg said that, that was a terrible thing for him to say.” 

Me: “Yes it was a terrible thing for him to say, and there is no ‘if’s’ he and his wife both said it.” 

We talked for a few more minutes. Dr. Phelps appeared to get more verbally combative with me.

Me: “Dr. Phelps have you tried to reach out to the Andersons, or to Tina herself since the trial?”

“Dr. Phelps: “Would never meet with Tina without a third-party present. She would misconstrue my words and my intentions.”

“Me: “So? That would be, No?”

Dr. Phelps: “I have legal advice to not do so as well.”

Me: “Ok?”

Me: “One more question. Do you have regret the way you treated Tina back in 1997?

Dr. Phelps: “No, I have nothing to apologize for from how she was treated in 1997.”

Me: “You have nothing to apologize for?”

Dr. Phelps: “No.”

Dr. Phelps: “You have to excuse me for being short. I have received dozen calls about this since yesterday.”

Me: “A dozen calls? First you said I was the first, later you said you had 3 calls, now it’s a dozen calls? Color me confused?”

Me: “Thank you sir, I have to go now.”

**The whole conversation took 35 minutes. I didn’t ask him all the questions I planned to ask. However, it was clear in my own mind at least that he did not sound humble, was deflecting and blaming everyone else.

IF the detective attempted to contact Chuck Phelps and he didn’t return the detectives calls, Chuck Phelps is incorrect.  According his own admission he was told by DYFUS that this case was a police matter.  Here’s the law that was in effect at the time.  Link.

“169-C:30 Nature and Content of Report.
An oral report shall be made immediately by telephone or otherwise, and followed within 48 hours by a report in writing, if so requested, to the department. Such report shall, if known, contain the name and address of the child suspected of being neglected or abused and the person responsible for the child’s welfare, the specific information indicating neglect or the nature and extent of the child’s injuries (including any evidence of previous injuries), the identity of the person or persons suspected of being responsible for such neglect or abuse, and any other information that might be helpful in establishing neglect or abuse or that may be required by the department.”

Source. 1979, 361:2. 1989, 146:2. 1994, 411:17. 1995, 310:175, eff. Nov. 1, 1995

A few thoughts.

1)  Chuck Phelps complains that the statement that he called Tina Anderson a liar is false.  Personally, I find it interesting, no one else who attended the trial has made the complaint that the unofficial transcript is inaccurate.  It has now been several months since the trial.

2)  Chuck Phelps claims he was concerned he and Trinity Baptist Church could be sued for telling the truth?  That is the defense of libel and slander-truth.

3)  Chuck Phelps claims Tina was close to the age of consent in New Hampshire.  Fact is Ernie raped Tina before the age of consent.  She was 15.  Close only counts in horseshoes and hand-grenades.

4)  Daniel Leaf was imprisoned for physical abuse of Tina’s brother Tom.  After he served a year for this, he was released.  Daniel Leaf was convicted of molesting a little girl in a McDonalds Bathroom.  Both of those offenses occurred before this.  As a result of the second conviction Leaf is required to register as Sex Offender.  I believe Daniel Leaf was imprisoned when Ernie raped Tina for indecent exposure which violated his parole.

5) Christine Leaf is hardly a candidate for mother of the year.  Here’s a statement by another individual who also witnessed the trial.

6)  I find his statement that Tina Anderson knew what he meant when he read Deuteronomy 22:23-24 interesting.  He says she knew what he meant.  Does he have the gift of clairvoyance?

Please don’t forget to sign the petition and encourage others to sign to send a message to Bob Jones University to  Chuck the CHUCK.

Refuting Chuck Phelps Claim~”Tina Anderson was Passive”

Chuck Phelps repeatedly mentions that Tina Anderson was passive. Over the last several days this word has been thrown around again by those who defend Chuck Phelps reappointment to the Cooperating Board of Bob Jones University with those of us who believe he should be removed because of how he handled Tina Dooley Anderson.

Phelps defenders are unanimous that Tina was passive, because Phelps said so.  Furthermore, their reasoning flows, if Tina was passive it was consensual and not rape.  I find it interesting the same people who have no problem understanding what Phelps meant when he used the word “passive” to describe Tina,  but argue over what the word “aggressor” meant after Phelps testified that Willis admitted he was the aggressor to Phelps. But I digress.

If Tina had been mugged and instinctively physically frozen at the time. If she had simply given her purse to the mugger in a desperate, terrified hope that the assault would have ended without further injury.  No one would have questioned her cooperation.  Chuck Phelps would have supported Tina and assured her that she did the right thing. Nobody would have blamed her for carrying money by saying, “well, didn’t you realize that would only lead a robber on?” Nobody would blamed Tina for all the times you willingly spent money by implying that this means you “have a history of giving it away, so aren’t you just ‘crying robbery’ now?” Nobody would claim that the incident was probably just a cash transaction that “got out of hand” and “she regretted later.”
Yet when the assault on Tina was sexual, Phelps and many others implausibly lose all their insights about the importance of cooperation to reduce harm. Suddenly, the questions about what part of guilt Tina must have had in the course of the attack:

“Why didn’t you fight back?”

“Why are you so passive?”

“Why did you stay quiet?”

“Why did you freeze?”

“Why didn’t you tell anyone?”

“Why did you let him in your apartment?”

My first response to those who repeat what Phelps says, is so what? Tina Anderson was passive. What’s your point?  However the more I thought about it, I decided to share what research says about how most people respond during a sexual assault.

 Tonic immobility,” is the “freeze instinct,” in which the body becomes very still, rigid, and silent. It is a simple survival behavior. During rape, tonic immobility is very common. According to studies, tonic immobility occurs in up to 88% of rape victims during the assault.  Tonic immobility is far more common than the fight or flight response we see depicted on TV or in self-defense brochures.

Phelps supporters, ask yourself, why does Phelps have so many inconsistencies in his stories?  Why are you continuing to blindly follow him, but no one has bothered to contact Tina?  Who is spreading gossip?  Phelps, perhaps?

Chuck  the CHUCK …http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/chuckphelps/

Chuckles made an error in writing that Willis as her landlord.  According to Tina this is incorrect.  Thank you Tina for clearing that up.

Webs of Deceit

"Oh what tangled webs we weave when first we practice to deceive" ~ Sir Walter Scott

“Oh what tangled webs we weave when first we practice to deceive” ~ Sir Walter Scott

It never ceases to amaze Chuckles why people tell lies, especially when they know other people already know know they are full of Baloney.

It is even more amazing that the flagship Fundamentalist University spins its web of lies that the school has no way of getting out of.

In other associated news, it is being passed around the same flagship Fundamentalist University that Pastor Chuck Phelps has stated he has in his possession a letter from ABC News, 20/20 expressing regret for untrue statements he claims “Shattered Faith” made concerning him during the program aired April 8, 2011.

Chuckles would really love for Phelps to post this letter from ABC News on his now infamous website.

Chuck Phelps is said to be “waiting for the right time” to post this letter.

Chuckles is sure that the team of New York Attorneys working for ABC News would have immense interest in reading such a letter.

There’s no better time than the present, right Chuck?

While we’re all waiting for hell to freeze over for such a letter from ABC News to Chuck Phelps to actually appear, please go and sign the online petition asking for Charles “Chuck” Phelps to be removed from Bob Jones University’s Cooperating Board. Here. 

 

 

 

 

11-27-2012 CLARIFICATION …

The blog first found out Phelps was reinstated around November 1, 2011.  His reinstatement dates back to 2010 and was reportedly kept “quiet” intentionally, presumably based on the upcoming trial that convited Tina’s rapist.  We apologize for any confusion this may have caused regarding the timeline.

Editorial Board of the Blog

Rotten Fruit

Dan Frank posted the following opening post on Sharper Iron.

“This surprised me. Chuck Phelps’ name is listed as part of the board at BJU in the 2011 Seminary bulletin. It seems like fundamentalism is growing in its awareness of the problem of sexual abuse in its circles. Yet, Phelps has never articulated any repentance or regret for how he personally handled the situation between rapist and underage teenage rape victim in his church. I know that the standard “above reproach” is subjective at best. Yet, whatever that term means, Chuck Phelps could hardly be “above reproach” on this issue. Does this concern anyone else?”

Jim Peet is quick to jump in, deflecting from the problem by mentioning that the real problem is actually Dan Frank’s “obsession with BJU.”

Later Jim Peet claims, “I really don’t care who’s on the board of BJU.”  In the next post Peet states, “Why take up space on Sharper Iron.”

It was fine however for Sharper Iron to talk about such important topics such as whether bicycle shorts are modest, argue about whether Reformed Theology leads to Contemporary Christian Music in churches.  Those remotely familiar with Sharper Iron recognize that the tenor of most of the posts and comments on that site, tend to lean toward either outrightly defending BJU, or are very favorable to BJU.

The same for Phelps.

It comes as no surprise that commenters such as Jim Peet, (and he’s by no means the only person who has done so on Sharper Iron) claim to not care if Bob Jones University has chosen Phelps to be on its board.

Should Christians care about the testimony of a man who is chosen to lead young both lay and pastoral studies students?

Only a few weeks ago Phelps was on campus and taught the “preacher boys class” for a week.

Is it the best choice to select a man who as Senior pastor when he became aware of the situation, decided to put Tina and Ernie before the congregation to be disciplined as completely separate issues. Ernie apologized for being unfaithful to his wife; Tina for being pregnant after “allowing a compromising situation to occur”.  The congregation were not told Ernie Willis a then 38 year old man was the father of Tina’s baby.

Phelps then insisted for months that Tina was lying, even went as far as to set up his own website where it appears Mr. Willis’ attorney’s took much of their defense.

Phelps, through his attorney, David Gibbs, III fought hard to keep the “copious notes” to not be read into the trial record.

Once Phelps was forced to testify, and refer to the “copious notes” it was revealed that he knew from the beginning that Willis had admitted that he was the “aggressor” not once as Phelps had insisted, but twice!

All the while, Ernie was allowed to stay in the church, live free while Tina was sent to Colorado where she gave birth and gave her baby up for adoption.

Phelps continues to refuse to admit publicly that he did anything wrong.  The website Phelps put up after 20/20 is still up.

He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. Psalm 28:13

Phelps has not shown repentance.  No apology to Tina. No private repentance nor public repentance.

I find it further appalling that Bob Jones III preached and was present when the American Council of Christian Churches adopted the resolution on abuse.  Bob Jones III did this knowing that Phelps was on Bob Jones University’s 2011 board.

Dr. Bob III and other fundamentalist leaders have not exposed his sin.

Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.      Galations 6:1

Bob Jones III preached this message at a ACCC conference.  Listen to it, by his own words Phelps isn’t qualified to be on the board and should be separated from.

There continues to be no response from Bob Jones University about Phelps being on their board.

What does the Lord expect?

He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?  Micah 6:8

Chuck Phelps Returns To Board Of Bob Jones University

While the attention of the media, abuse survivors and others were on the trial of Ernie Willis for the rape and resultant pregnancy of Tina Anderson when she was 15, there was a sleight of hand going on.  While others were focusing on what was increasingly becoming known of the actions of Tina’s pastor, Chuck Phelps who made her stand before her congregation and apologize for putting herself in a compromising situation and getting raped, the cooperating board at Bob Jones University had quietly pulled a dirty trick.  While others were riveted on the fact that a 15 year old, under the direction of her pastor, the girls mother, sent her daughter to Colorado to live with friends of Pastor Phelps where she was home-schooled while the rapist paid for the plane ticket to Colorado, another move was in progress.  Tina Anderson’s story continued to gain momentum in the media and on April 8, 2011 Elizabeth Vargus correspondent with ABC News 20/20 aired “Shattered Faith.”  Pastor Phelps told a 20/20 producer that Tina had an ongoing dating relationship with a married man that had turned sexual in nature.

The next day or so, her former Pastor Chuck Phelps went live with a website stating Tina was untruthful.  Fundamentalist Pastors and laymen on Sharper Iron and elsewhere portrayed her as a little Lolita whose wily ways hooked an innocent man into her grasp. Pastor Phelps spoke to many pastors and individuals all over the country telling them that Tina was not being truthful and that she was pressing on with criminal charges against Ernie Willis to get money.

Never mind that criminal proceedings don’t pay a dime to the victim. Any civil judgement would be a separate issue.  At the time, Tina nor her husband had not filed any documents to do so.  It is not known now whether the Anderson’s have done so, although it is  certainly within their legal rights if they chose to.

Leaders in the IFB traveled and met every other month or so in different cities to “pray with Chuck Phelps.”

While this was going on, another magic trick was in progress in the Bob Jones University boardroom.

Then the trial rolled around.  David Gibbs, III who represented both Phelps and Tina’s mother Christine Leaf lost a last minute legal “hail Mary” ploy to keep Phelps’ copious notes out of being read into the record by trying to claim, “clergy-congregant privilege.”  The judge recognized that privilege belonged to the victim not the perpetrator. Furthermore any privilege that had applied died when Phelps spoke about it to all those third parties and anyone with access to the inter-web.

It was soon revealed that Tina had told the truth and Phelps had been more than dishonest from Phelps own sworn testimony in a court of law.  Willis was convicted and sentenced on five counts.  Because the statute of limitations is short for failure to report in New Hampshire, state prosecutors are unable to charge him.  It is a long-shot that federal charges could be brought against Phelps under the Mann Act.  It appears unlikely that federal authorities will be pursuing this route at this point.

Phelps left the Bob Jones University board in 2007 after he accepted the offer to become President of Maranatha Baptist Bible College. Phelps time at Maranatha was short, he was asked to leave May 2009.

Everyone’s attention was on the 20/20 report, the upcoming trial and then the trial testimony of Christine Leaf, Chuck Phelps, Ernie Willis and others.  After Willis was found guilty our attention turned to sentencing of Willis.  Tina was vindicated.  Phelps, however never apologized, he never removed his website, nor the lies he told.  Phelps even tried to take credit for Willis being convicted.

While all this was occurring elsewhere, Chuck Phelps was quietly put back on the 2011 Cooperating Board of Bob Jones Universityalong with others such as Ian Paisley,  Jerry Svinsky and John Vaughn. Chuck Phelps is on the board with the current Vice-President of Operations, Marshall Franklin.  Since the current president Dr. Stephen Jones is on medical leave it is widely known that Mr. Franklin oversee’s the day-to-day duties of President Stephen Jones. Mr. Franklin has been a long-term trusted friend of the Jones family, especially Stephen Jones. Chuck Phelps’ name is right there as plain as day between Evangelist Stephen Pettit of the Pettit Evangelistic Ministries and Fundamental Church Planter Robert Packer.

2011 Bob Jones University Cooperating Board Members listed in BJU Catalog Page 254

2011 Bob Jones University Cooperating Board Members listed in BJU Catalog Page 254

Chuck Phelps was on the board when 20/20 aired.  Chuck Phelps was on the board when Brian Fuller, who has openly stated that Phelps was his mentor, denied there was a network in the IFB.   Either Brian Fuller is a huge patsy, or he is as deceptive as the rest. 

Dr. Bob Jones, III was present when the American Council of Christian Churches passed its resolution on abuse at the ACCC Annual meeting October 19-21, 2011. Immediately upon finding this out this afternoon, Chuckles called a pastor who was present and claims he voted for the resolution to be passed and asked him if he knew about this.  The pastor said he did, but then remarked,

“We disagree on whether Chuck did anything wrong.”

Phelps spent months lying to many people’s faces, he  set up a website to commit libel against a victim of rape, verbally slandered the victim all over the country, lied to the media, both lied to and about the police. Apparently this kind of behavior is ok for a Cooperating Board member of Bob Jones University. It’s apparently fine for a board member to do so, but a student would be expelled for much less. 

This same man quickly added,

“Chuck didn’t do anything to hurt Ms. Anderson.”

No one has the right to say what she feels or not feel other than Tina. No one has the right to tell people how Tina should feel toward those who did hurt her. However doing so is typical fundamentalist trope. Leaders are adapt at telling others how they should feel about things, even how long a person should grieve, etc. Chuckles did remind this that man even Phelps has acknowledged his actions were hurtful during his testimony.

Leaders!

This is a perfect example of why many of us feel free to challenge your “genuineness.” Every time you are given a chance to prove yourselves, you once again prove that you are less than sincere.  You have once again proven you are deceptive.

“Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”  John 8:44

Hat Tip Dr. Camille K. Lewis, PHD.

11-27-2012 CLARIFICATION …

The blog first found out Phelps was reinstated around November 1, 2011.  His reinstatement dates back to 2010 and was reportedly kept “quiet” intentionally, presumably based on the upcoming trial that convited Tina’s rapist.  We apologize for any confusion this may have caused regarding the timeline.

Editorial Board of the Blog

Ernie Willis Sentenced~Chuck Phelps Lies Again.

Ernie on his way to prison

On September 6, 2011, Ernie Willis was sentenced to 15 to 30 years in prison for of three counts of forcible rape and one count of felonious sexual assault of Tina Anderson.  Tina Dooley Anderson was at the time of these rapes, … Continue reading 

“Tina’s Marine” Letter to ‘Ken Smith’

Jesus Knows by Nancy Bicknell

Ken,

I’ve been trying to understand why you have taken this so personal. You’ve latched your teeth into Tina and I wish I knew why. You commented on the I Support Tina Anderson blog and yes, I read your comments even though we did not publish them. You said some hurtful things but I won’t take that personal. If you believe that Tina is lying, that is your choice. You may post that wherever someone will let you. I fought for our country so that you might have that freedom. I have contemplated for days if I should or would respond to you. Well, I decided that I would address a few things.

First, please read http://www.scribd.com/doc/44495191/Tina-Anderson-s-Statement-to-the-Concord-Police. This is a copy of what Tina wrote to the police when they called us on my birthday about a year and a half ago and asked her to give a statement of what happened. We stand by what she wrote and what she swore under oath that her statement to the police was truthful.

Second, there were a couple things that the newspapers got wrong. Where it came from, I don’t know but someone said that Ernie was a deacon. You’ll notice in the police report that Tina never called him a deacon and never said that in the couple of interviews that she gave. That issue was quickly addressed and corrected in future articles.

Third, you say Tina lied when she agreed with Elizabeth Vargas on 20/20 that she “lost” her job. You are correct that Tina was not fired from being a teacher. We never said that she had been fired. I understand how you and others could understand it that way. There was no willful intent to deceive. The word lost was used in the context of “no longer in the possession, care, or control of someone or something” (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/lost) but it was not “lost” in the sense that it was taken away.

On purpose, we did not go into the details of why Tina put in her resignation. There were a lot of things that happened that made us realize that we could not continue at this church and school. This is the church that I grew up in since I was five years old. This is the place where I attended the Christian academy from kindergarten to 12th grade. This is the college that I achieved one of my bachelor’s degrees and almost completed my master’s degree (I’d have to complete three more classes). This is where I devoted over 20 years of my life. We chose to walk away. Although it’s been brought out by others, I don’t bring up the names of these organizations because I don’t want to drag them through the mud but it’s part of our life and it’s kind of hard to hide where you’ve spent about half of your life. I have deep feelings for that place. When I say I’ve “lost” friends, it means that us and them have chosen to part ways. It means that people I’ve known all my life and all the people that Tina got to know while she was there, don’t fellowship with us. Will some of those friendships be renewed? I don’t know, maybe. I still hold out hope. There are a couple families that we do see occasionally but six people out of hundreds is not very many.

Fourth, you’re concerned about The Tina Anderson Foundation and where does the money go and how much does Tina and I receive. There might be other concerns but I’ll address the one I know about. Tina and I do not receive any money from the foundation. Now, in the interest of full disclosure, during Christmas time, we were given gas money and our hotel room paid so that we could take a week’s vacation to spend time with friends out of state. The foundation also gave us some Christmas gifts that my kids still enjoy playing with. The purpose of the foundation is stated on the website. If people want to donate to help others, that is great! If people are not comfortable with donating to this foundation, don’t. This was set up to try and make a difference in people’s lives and to give a chance for others to help. I trust and support the people and their families who run the foundation. In fact, I love them like family. All of them have meant so much to me, my wife and my kids.

Finally, Ken. I know this will not answer all your questions and you may dismiss what I have to say. That is fine. I pray that God’s peace come upon you and that you have joy in your life. God has greatly blessed me and I pray that God will also bless you also.

Sincerely,

Tim Anderson

(As posted on I support Tina Anderson blog http://isupporttinaanderson.blogspot.com/2011/06/letter-to-ken-smith.html?spref=fb)

“Tina’s Marine” Tim Anderson Responds to Ed Nelson

Chuck Travels blogged about the following remark made by Dr. Ed Nelson concerning Pastor Chuck Phelps during a message Dr. Nelson preached at the Fundamental Baptist Fellowship International Annual Conference on June 14, 2011.

 ”The only way you get publicity is to have somebody hate you, as brother Chuck Phelps has had, and they come up with evil reports [about you,] then you get in the papers.  And by the way, thank God he (Chuck Phelps) stood right all the way through all of this and we ought to stand with him and encourage him, but I don’t suppose newspapers here in Indianapolis write a whole lot of articles about Crosspointe.”

Tim Anderson (Tina’s Marine) wrote this response on Stuff Fundies Like Forum.

I’ve been thinking about this all day. I was not expecting the FBFI to remove Chuck Phelps from leadership. They have a lot to lose if they admit mistakes were made and that a major contributor to fundamentalism made some serious errors in judgment, to put it mildly.

Darrell & Chuckles Travels have written about it very well and so I won’t go into all of that. I encourage you to read their posts.

I grew up being taught in an IFB church, Christian school, Christian college for over 30 years. I have two bachelor degrees from two different IFB colleges. I’m not tooting my own horn. I just want to point out that the IFB way of life is about all I knew about church and education.

Growing up, I always admired the leaders in the IFB. I’d like to believe that the pastor I grew up under, Pastor James Singleton, a major force in the IFB, if he were alive, he’d be addressing these things. I’d like to believe that he’s turning over in his grave right now with all that is going on in FBFI.

I grew up being taught that a person of character will admit when he/she has made a mistake, no matter the consequences. I was taught that a man of God should be above reproach. Over this past year, I’ve been having a hard time grasping the mentality of the leaders in the IFB. It’s not what I was taught. It now looks like, “Do what I say, not what I do.”

I don’t understand Dr. Ed Nelson and his comments. I would have understood it better if he had just not said anything but to say that Chuck Phelps has “stood right through all of this” is beyond comprehension. I guess you could say that if you’re looking at the situation through rose colored glasses or an IFB prism that distorts your perspective.

His comments make me realize that my wife and I made the right decision over a year ago.

Before Tina’s story was made public last May, we decided to leave our IFB church, which is part of the FBFI. We were never asked to leave. We didn’t make a fuss or try to cause any problems. We knew there would be enough of that when Tina’s story became public. We decided to leave quietly. She gave her letter of resignation to the IFB college where she taught voice and we walked out the door.

My sisters, although they don’t agree with us for leaving our church and are currently in their own IFB churches, still love and support us. Fortunately, blood is thicker than church affiliation. I know this is not always the case and I’m extremely thankful to God for that. My sister asked me if we’d ever go back to a Baptist church. Although I had not really thought about it, I told her “I doubt it.” After watching everything going on in IFB land, and after watching Tina finally being vindicated through the conviction of one of her rapists, and still no admittance of wrong from the leaders inside the FBFI, I would now answer my sister and say, “No, I’ll never be a member of another IFB church.” Would I visit? Yes. In fact, I have friends who are pastors of IFB churches. I’m going to visit one of them this Sunday. I have not seen him for about a year and so I’m looking forward to my visit.

Ed Nelson says that the only way to get publicity is to have somebody hate you. If hate is the only way for fundamental baptist to get publicity, I feel very sorry for them. If hate is the only way that you are getting publicity, then you need to examine what you are doing. What you saw was public outrage (hate) at the injustice that was done to a 15 year old. What you saw was hate that a man who claims to serve God kept spinning the truth to try and make himself not look so bad. The only people that worked on are the people who don’t want to face the fact that Chuck Phelps did wrong and has not been able to admit it.

What we, my wife and I, saw was hate from the people who claim to love God but were more concerned about their image than doing what was right. What we saw was hate from people who slandered, created false scenarios, assumed false motivations, and downright called Tina a liar and manipulator for finally standing up for herself. This is the kind of publicity that we would have chosen to avoid. In fact, publicity was one thing we never wanted. We never realized how big of a story this would turn out to be when the police asked Tina to tell them her story and what happened 14 years ago.

Hate was never our motivating factor, justice was. It was justice against Ernie Willis, the man who raped Tina twice when she was 15. We finally saw justice this past May.

Tina and I do not hate Chuck Phelps. We don’t hate Ernie Willis. We don’t hate the IFB or the FBFI or anyone else associated with this whole situation.

What are our feelings? We’d like to go back to living a quiet, peaceful life serving God, raising our kids, and growing old together. We’ll see what God has planned for us. I’m excited about our future and looking forward to the journey that God has set before us.

 

Was the FBFI Preachers Conference a Wolf’s Lair?

Yesterday, June 21, 2011 was the opening day of this summers Independent Baptist Fellowship of North America (IBFNA) Family Conference.  Pastor Chuck Phelps who was scheduled to speak twice on the opening day of this family conference was pulled from the Speakers Schedule.

Not so at the FBFI Conference from the previous week.  Chuck Phelps spoke at the Fundamental Baptist Fellowship International conference held at Crosspointe Baptist Church, Indianapolis, Indiana. Chuck Phelps remains the Vice-Chairmen of the FBFI.   Dr. Ed Nelson said this about Pastor Phelps at the conference.  (Ed Nelson’s full message can be heard here.)

 ”The only way you get publicity is to have somebody hate you, as brother Chuck Phelps has had, and they come up with evil reports [about you,] then you get in the papers.  And by the way, thank God he (Chuck Phelps) stood right all the way through all of this and we ought to stand with him and encourage him, but I don’t suppose newspapers here in Indianapolis write a whole lot of articles about Crosspointe.”

Someone who is very close to Tina, pointed out to Chuckles that Ed Nelson has one major problem.  He is assuming hate. Tina does not hate Chuck Phelps.

Secondly, Phelps own testimony has conflicted with nearly everything he said on his website and to individuals.  He showed arrogance and belligerence as he testified on the stand.

Nelson is reading from the same old script that, “people came up with evil reports on Chuck Phelps.”

Really, Dr. Nelson?

Guess it wouldn’t change your mind that Phelps misrepresented the situation to his congregation, lied to the congregation and to the media and the public. Phelps set it up to ship a frightened teenager across state lines to live with strangers.  Phelps in his ‘wisdom’ decided the best place for a rape victim to be sent to live was with a family who only had teenage boys.  Phelps did this to keep her pregnancy secret. Phelps did not counsel Tina’s mother to stand with her daughter against the monster in their home, and then he assisted Tina’s mother in getting rid of the ‘problem’ once again by making sure Tina was sent to live with friends of his.  Thankfully, this ended up being a good home.  Tina has repeatedly expressed that this family was good to her, and her love for them.  However, it could have just as easily gone another direction for a child who had the adults in her life putting nothing but their own selfish welfare over a young girl who was raped.  Phelps made sure that the father paid for her plane ticket out of dodge.  In doing so, Phelps insured that this degenerate rapist could walk around free for the next 14 years.  Then when it finally became public, Phelps set up a website that attempted to tear apart the credibility of a rape victim.  It appears, much of the defense teams strategy came directly from that web site.  Then it only gets better.  During last minute, ‘hail Mary,’ legal maneuvering, David Gibbs, III worked with the defense team to keep Phelps ‘copious notes’ out of the trial.  Phelps and his attorney tried to claim ‘clergy-congregant privilege.’  Problem is Phelps had breached any privilege long ago when Tina was made to stand before that congregation that October night in 1997.  If any signs of life were left in the claim of ‘clergy-congrigant’ privilege that fact that Phelps could not keep his mouth shut when he talked to numerous people, including the media.  Any chance at resuscitation was futile when Phelps chose to set up that website.  Privacy in cases such as Tina’s belongs to the victim, not the perpetrator. Besides one can’t claim privacy with something you have placed on the world wide web for everyone to see.

“…thank God he (Chuck Phelps) stood right all the way through all of this…”

Really, Dr. Nelson?

Did you forget that Ernie Willis was convicted fourteen-years later on four counts of rape, after he plead guilty on a separate count of ‘statutory rape?’  Does it not make any difference to you that Tina Anderson could have had justice sooner if Phelps had done the right thing 14 years before?

There really should be no surprise here.  Dr. Nelson has a history of standing with pastors who abuse lambs in their flocks.  Even with pastors who were convicted of nearly beating a little lamb to death. Dr. Ed Nelson along with Dr. Bob Jones III,  endorsed, “The Embrace of Grace” written by convicted felon Caleb Thompson.  Caleb Thompson is still currently incarcerated in a Texas prison for holding down a eleven-year old Hispanic boy while his brother Joshua Thompson beat the boy over 100 times according to court documents.  What did the little boy do that would cause these two Independent Baptist Fundamentalist pastors to beat the boy with two tree branches until his kidneys failed?  The boy, whose first language was not English, quoted the wrong verse in a sword drill.  More documents here.

Dr. Nelson was Jocelyn Zichtermans pastor when she was a teenager.  If you watched the 20/20 interview.  Jocelyn recounted a story of being made to stand up in front of the congregation and apologize for her sin of a sexual relationship with her teenage boyfriend while her sexually abusive father and brothers looked on from the pew.

God has a dire warning to these Shepherds who abuse His flock.

“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” says the Lord. Therefore thus says the Lord God of Israel against the shepherds who feed My people: “You have scattered My flock, driven them away, and not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your doings.” says the Lord. —Jeremiah 23:1, 2 (NKJV)

When is it going to be that the FBFI begins to hold Phelps publicly responsible for what he has done?