Split Verdict in Pastor's Sex Abuse Trial

KCCI
August 25, 2012

http://www.kcci.com/news/central-iowa/Jury-announces-verdict-in-pastor-s-trial/-/9357080/16239440/-/co477z/-/index.html

A jury announced its split verdict Friday in the trial of former Pella pastor Patrick Edouard late Friday afternoon.

The jury found Edouard not guilty of three counts of third-degree sexual abuse.

The jury found him guilty of all four counts of sexual exploitation by a counselor, therapist, school employee or clergy. They also found him guilty of having a pattern, practice or scheme to sexually exploit.

Four women in Edouard's former congregation at Covenant Reform Church in Pella said he used his influence as a pastor and counselor to draw them into having sexual relations. Three of the women said the first sexual encounter with Edouard was rape.

The jury deliberated Thursday afternoon and Friday. They announced they were returning to the courtroom to read the verdict about 3:50 p.m.

Assistant Iowa Attorney General Scott Brown said they were hoping for convictions on the sex abuse charges and believed they had the evidence to prove them.

“Ultimately, in the end, we’re just happy and very pleased with the outcome,” Brown said. “We knew the sexual abuse charges were a real uphill battle because of the nature of the relationships that our victims had with the defendant.”

Edouard faces up to nine years in prison.

“We’re very pleased with the verdict. We know it was a very difficult case, difficult for the victims, difficult for their families, difficult for the jury to hear the type of evidence they had to hear, and we’re very happy with the verdict that was entered,” Brown said.

Judge Paul Huscher continued Edouard's bond and he was able to leave the courtroom after the verdict.

Edouard's attorney Angela Campbell, who spoke with a print reporter in the hallway, declined comment for television after cameras followed her client to his car.

Sentencing has been scheduled for mid-October.

Closing Statements

Roan told the jury on the outside Patrick Edouard was "brilliant and adored" and "a rising star" at Covenant Reform Church in Pella. But he was spinning a web of deceit. She said he intentionally lured vulnerable women using his position as pastor.

The women, she said, did not come forward immediately because they did not know about one another. They thought they would be solely responsible for bringing a popular pastor down and hurting their church.

She said the first woman was raped in Edouard's study at his home during a counseling session. He told her during the rape that "you need this."

Roan said as soon as he was done he stood up, pulled up his pants, went up the stairs, unlocked the door and said to his wife that he was done with her.

Then he went back downstairs, took both of her hands in his and said, "We have to keep talking."

Roan said the second woman was a child sex abuse survivor. She tried to keep him away from her and he physically pulled her pants down. He told her to "relax."

The third victim was also in Edouard's study. Roan said the woman was raped after several sessions in which she and Edouard kissed and fondled each other.