Teen girl was raped, impregnated by fellow church-member & then forced to apologize: prosecution

A woman who says she was raped and impregnated as a 15-year-old by a member of her church - and then forced to read a letter of apology aloud to the congregation - is now seeking justice from the courts.

Jury selection starts Monday at Merrimack Superior Court in New Hampshire in the case against Ernest Willis, who prosecutors charge raped Tina Anderson twice in her home in 1997, leaving her pregnant, the New Hampshire Union Leader reported.

The then-teenager was then compelled by leaders of the Trinity Baptist Church to apologize for becoming pregnant with a married man's child, the Concord Monitor reported.

<snip>

Anderson, now 29, who asked media outlets to publicly identify her to draw attention to the case, told police the church's pastor, Charles Phelps, spirited her away to another church member in Colorado in an effort to muddle a police investigation back in 1997.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2011/05/16/2011-05-16_teen_girl_was_raped_impregnated_by_fellow_churchmember__then_forced_to_apologize.html#ixzz1MvTcUD9l

Has a 15-year-old of the age of consent in Colorado? And it's probably better that I won't be on that jury. I don't believe it was consensual at all.

I don't want to see ANYONE here questioning whether or not it was consensual again. The age of consent is 17!

I want this asshole in jail and yes, facing the wrath of those who will make him answer for his child predation. :mad:

In New Hampshire, the age of consent is 16, but those as young as 13 can "engage in sexual penetration" with someone older provided the difference is less than 3 years. However, if the partner is acting "in loco parentis," e.g. as a teacher or guardian, the minimum age of consent is 18. Similar laws exist in Colorado where the age of consent is 17 but "close in age exceptions" allow those 5 and 16 to engage in acts with those less than ten years older and those less than 15 to engage in acts with those less than four years older. But as in New Hampshire, a 17-year-old in Colorado can not legally consent to person that is in position of trust.

So yes, this was rape. In both states.

And there should be added charges in that the rapist was in a position of both power and trust over the child.


(edited to add Wikipedia link, which I used in interest of quick response: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ages_of_consent_in_North_America#State_laws)

Nevada did when I lived there.

Most 17 or 18
http://www.ageofconsent.us/

Their morals certainly seem to be in congruence.

For being female? WTF??
Expose all the scumbags.

for covering up a crime

I can't believe this young woman is so strong. I hope she wins and I hope she outs these kinds of "churches" for the nasty, disgusting, woman, gay, child hating organizations they are. Organizations like these are set up for predatory males.

Lol...they didn't make them back then.

were in all this. Why did they not stand up to the church bullies?

I wonder if this is one of Fred's kids?

supposed to be both parties that apologize but I can tell you that was not often the case. I think that was why it was abandoned in most churches - unfair and often the rich bought their way out of the apology. It is a humiliating process that does no good whatsoever. It is why I left the church for many years. Only went back when the practice was abandoned.

The only one I confess my sins to is God.

Don't they know that the proper punishment is stoning?

I hope they charge the rapist and the church leaders.

:puke: :puke: :puke:

:kick:

:grr:

She wasn't forced to apologize for having a married man's baby. She was forced to apologize for having premarital sex and for becoming pregnant outside of marriage. There was no mention of the father-the church kept it hushed up.

Why is that important? Because the church knew, kept it quiet, and then sent her away.

Eve was the one who ruined everything for the human race by eating an apple.

:sarcasm:

H/T to Hitchens.