Jim Bob Duggaris showing his support for sonJosh Duggaras Josh’s child sexual abuse material trial continues.
On Tuesday, day six of the trial, Jim Bob, 56, appeared to be in good spirits as he gave Josh a warm side-hug in the courtroom gallery’s front row, across the divide separating attendees from the defense and prosecution.
The family patriarch made his first appearance at the trial and told PEOPLE in the courtroom he had been waiting to be cleared to attend after earlier being subpoenaed in a pretrial evidentiary hearing.
Josh, 33, wasarrestedin April and laterpleaded not guiltyto the charges of receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material.
The19 Kids and Countingalum, who previously faced achild molestation scandalrelated to conduct as a teenager and boy, has been accused ofdownloading filesdepicting child sexual abuse on May 14, 15 and 16 of 2019 on thecomputer at his then-workplace, a used car lot in Arkansas.
His past controversy became public in May 2015 when he apologized for his “wrongdoing” after a 2006 police report revealed that he had been investigated as a teen for inappropriately touching five underage girls. Two of his sisters subsequentlystepped forward as two of the victims.
Josh (left) and Jim Bob Duggar.Patsy Lynch/Shutterstock; Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images
Brooksultimately ruled that he would allow it, though Jim Bob’s name did not appear on the list of potential witnesses for the actual trial.
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Duringhis testimony, Jim Bob said he couldn’t remember the details of Josh’s admissions that he had touched the victims, identified during the proceeding as Jane Does 1 through 4.
“The Court found Mr. Duggar’s selective lapse in memory to be not credible; he was obviously reluctant to testify against his son,” Brooks wrote in his ruling on whether to allow the molestation scandal in the trial.
Josh Duggar.Kris Connor/Getty
In addition to Jim Bob,several of Josh’s other family members have appeared in court, including his wifeAnnaand siblingsJustin,JessaandJoy-Anna. Joy-Anna’s husband Austin Forsyth has also attended, as has Josh’s sisterJill’s husband,Derick Dillard.
If convicted of the charges against him, the former reality star faces up to 20 years of imprisonment and up to $250,000 in fines on each of the two counts fora total possible sentence of 40 years, according to an April press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Arkansas.
The prosecution in Josh’s ongoing trial rested Monday. His defense rested Tuesday after calling a forensic expert of their own. Closing arguments are expected Wednesday before the jury deliberates.
If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 connected to a certified crisis counselor.
source: people.com
