Lawyers: Church Doctrine Led Pair to Kill Son

mecooncat · 02-09-2007, 02:17 PM

I'm not sure where to put this topic. If it's not the right place, please move it. Thanks!

ABC News: Lawyers: Church Doctrine Led Pair to Kill Son

Dark-Half · 02-10-2007, 02:55 AM

Just like alcohol, some people take it a little too far.

***VamPyroX*** · 02-10-2007, 12:46 PM

Quote:

MARIETTA, Ga. Feb 6, 2007 (AP)— A couple whose church supports corporal punishment locked their 8-year-old son in a box, forced him to spend hours in a closet and beat the boy, who died in 2003, a prosecutor told jurors Tuesday.

Josef Smith died at a children's hospital after paramedics were called to the family's home in Mableton, 12 miles northwest of Atlanta.

His parents, Joseph and Sonya Smith, were charged in June with murder, cruelty to children, aggravated assault and false imprisonment. Testimony in their trial was to begin Wednesday.

"Josef's body will tell you the story of what happened to him," prosecutor Eleanor Dixon told jurors in opening remarks.

"There was beating after beating after beating, and then he died," Dixon said.

Defense attorney Manny Arora cautioned jurors that they would see photographs depicting horrible injuries but said those injuries did not cause the boy's death. Arora said he would show that the medical examiner did not perform tests that would have cleared his clients.

The Smiths are members of the Franklin, Tenn.-based Remnant Fellowship Church, which grew out of church leader Gwen Shamblin's Weigh Down Workshop, a Christian diet program she created in 1986. Authorities raided the church in June 2004 as part of the investigation of Josef Smith's death, but church officials have not been accused of wrongdoing in the case.

Former Remnant members have said church teachings on discipline include discussion of corporal punishment. Shamblin has said the church leaves discipline to parents and believes in spankings as a last resort.

Arora said there was no DNA evidence to prove the boy was locked inside the wooden box Dixon mentioned. Arora also said the closet that prosecutors accused the parents of locking the boy in had no wall to prevent him from going into his bedroom, because Joseph Smith had been renovating the house.

WTF!? They blame a church? This is going too far. The parents are responsible. They shouldn't be blaming God.

**shel90** · 02-10-2007, 07:37 PM

Anyone care to volunteer to put those parents in a box and beat them repeatedly?

lumbingmi · 02-13-2007, 10:08 AM

LOL.

What is new? People twisted bible everyday.

Where are you, Christians?

02-09-2007, 02:17 PM	#1 (permalink)
mecooncat Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: New Hampshire, USA Posts: 543	Lawyers: Church Doctrine Led Pair to Kill Son I'm not sure where to put this topic. If it's not the right place, please move it. Thanks! ABC News: Lawyers: Church Doctrine Led Pair to Kill Son Last edited by mecooncat; 02-09-2007 at 02:18 PM. Reason: made an error

02-10-2007, 02:55 AM	#2 (permalink)
Dark-Half Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Idaho. Posts: 852	Just like alcohol, some people take it a little too far. __________________ The world is a tragedy to those who feel, but a comedy to those who think.

02-10-2007, 07:37 PM	#4 (permalink)
shel90 Audist are not welcome Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: A place where crabs are popular Posts: 40,500 Blog Entries: 3	Anyone care to volunteer to put those parents in a box and beat them repeatedly? __________________ "Wine improves with age. The older I get, the better I like it." --- Anonymous

02-13-2007, 10:08 AM	#5 (permalink)
lumbingmi Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 4,460	LOL. What is new? People twisted bible everyday. Where are you, Christians? __________________ Picard: Seize the time, Meribor, live now. Make now always the most precious time. Now will never come again. Meribor: I love you, father. If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you can read this in English, thank a veteran.

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