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	Trial Delayed in Missouri Church Sex Abuse Case Associated Press, carried in Times-Leader February 22, 2007 http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070222/BREAKING01/70222026 Neosho, Mo. — A trial has been postponed for a Neosho-area pastor who is one of five related church leaders accused of child sex abuse at two southwest Missouri church communes, prosecutors said. George Otis Johnston, 63, had been scheduled to go on trial Monday. But a hearing this week resulted in a continuance until some time between mid-May and mid-June, Newton County Assistant Prosecutor Bill Dobbs said. Circuit Judge Timothy Perigo ordered the change after a dispute over how long the jury will be sequestered, Dobbs said. Jurors were due to be selected Friday in Cass County and brought Monday to Neosho, where they would be sequestered during the trial. Defense lawyers this week asked that the jurors be kept sequestered during the weekend, too, but the judge instead offered to move jury selection to Monday. Dobbs said Cass County officials didn't have space for jury selection next Monday, so the entire hearing was delayed. Johnston has pleaded not guilty to eight felony counts of statutory sodomy. Prosecutors allege the pastor of a Baptist church commune in Granby, near Neosho, groped and fondled a girl from the time she was eight until she turned 17 and left the community last April. Johnston has also pleaded not guilty to nine similar counts for alleged abuse of the girl's older sister, who is now 20. No trial date has been set in that case. Johnston has ties to Grand Valley Independent Baptist Church in McDonald County. That church's pastor, the pastor's wife, a deacon and one of the deacon's wife are facing charges of child sexual abuse and child endangerment. Those four have also pleaded not guilty and trial dates have not been set. All five are related by blood or marriage.
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