Former Priest Receives 12 Years for Raping His 14-Year-Old Adopted Daughter

On May 9, 2019, David Lynn Richards Jr., a former clergyman who was found guilty of regularly raping his teenage adopted daughter was condemned by a Knox County decider to 12 years in prison.

The former clergyman perceived support from friends who were benefaction in justice during a time of sentencing.

Richards Jr. continued to contend he was innocent, and he had pronounced during his trial. He asked Judge Steve Sword for leniency.

It is not common for a press to brand a name of a plant who was intimately abused. However, Amber Richards chose to exhibit her temperament and publicly pronounce after Richards Jr. was condemned in Feb 2019.

Amber sat on a other side of a courtroom, with approximately 6 other people. The girl’s biological relatives were also present, as she had reconnected with them a few years ago.

In a victims impact statement, Richards pronounced that she wanted to chuck her physique away. There was not a day that went by that she did not consider about what her stepfather a former clergyman did to her. She combined that she believes if a former clergyman had a opportunity, he would do this to another girl.

She also pronounced what Richards Jr. did to her busted her life.

Richards Jr. motionless to take a stand. He embellished his adopted daughter who was a teen who was defiant. She done a allegations that he intimately abused her since he was a despotic father who imposed manners on his children.

Forensic DNA contrast found seminal liquid with a former priest’s DNA on a support of Amber’s bed.

A jury in Knox County found a former clergyman guilty on 9 depends of transgression including incest, rape, and passionate battery after testimony was listened for 3 days in February.

Sword had embodiment in determining a sentence. Most of a charges including rape could have been given a punishment of probation. Only a passionate battery assign had a imperative judgment of bonds for 3 years.

The former clergyman pronounced that he stands before a justice convicted of several crimes he did not commit. He pronounced he believed a complement done a mistake. He continues by observant he was not certain because he was there, though God has his purpose.

Prosecutors asked for 72 years, a limit volume of time.

The decider concurred a former priest’s time in a method and a support he has as factors for a time support of his sentence.

Over 30 people came to support a former priest.

The decider remarkable that a former clergyman started to abuse Amber when she was 14-years-old and, it was unchanging for dual years until she reported it. The decider also discussed how Richards’ abused a fact he was Amber’s solitary defender and pennyless her trust.

Richards Jr. was assimilated on May 9 by Stephen Ross Johnson, his new attorney. Johnson pronounced he skeleton on filing for a new trial.

Written by Barbara Sobel

Sources:

Knox News: Former clergyman condemned to 12 years in jail for steady rape of adopted daughter

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  David Lynn Richards Jr, priest, Rape, passionate abuse