Ex-louisville Pastor, 79, Accused of Assaulting Sisters
By Matthew Glowick
Jurors heard from one of three women Wednesday who allege they were sexually assaulted by a former Louisville pastor when they were children in the 1990s. On the first day of evidence in the trial, prosecutors told jurors that 79-year-old Allen Lehmann sexually abused the three girls a number of times during the '90s when the youth made brief visits to his home. At the time of the alleged abuse, Lehmann was living in Louisville as pastor at Trinity Chapel Assembly of God church. The three girls were all under age 15 at the time, according to court records. The youngest of the sisters, now 25, testified for more than two hours Wednesday. She told jurors of the Lehmann's welcoming home where she enjoyed many a sloppy Joe and Jell-O salad. But those recollections were intertwined with painful memories of Lehmann touching her sexually on three occasions beginning when she was 6. His wife, 79-year-old Verna Lehmann, is also on trial. Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Courtney Straw alleged the "obedient" wife knew of the abuse and enabled it. "She took active steps to isolate the girls so he could have his way with them," Straw told the jury. Straw also said in openings that Allen Lehmann told one of the girls that she was to stay silent or face retribution. It wasn't until 2013, when the sisters were brought together for a wedding, that one divulged she'd been abused and the others disclosed their abuse. "My wanting to not talk about it was allowing me to go forward and live my life, which was selfish after being told something happened to my sisters," the youngest sister said from the witness stand. Allen Lehmann was indicted in Jefferson Circuit Court the following May. His attorney Rob Eggert completely dismissed the women's' allegations in his opening statements, calling them fantastical lies that grew over time. Eggert pointed to the layout of the Lehmann's home, saying other adults slept near where the children slept, yet they never reporting hearing a thing. Saying the Lehmanns are "1,000 percent innocent," Eggert told jurors there's not a shred of corroboration from others in the home and no medical record detailing any assault. Verna Lehmann's attorney John Olash asked jurors to consider how the women's stories changed from their initial interviews with Louisville Metro Police and expanded to include his client. He called attention to the timeline of indictments, with Verna Lehmann not indicted until May 2016, a full two years after her husband was charged. Reconciling the different versions of abuse, "it all crumbles like a house of cards," Olash said. Both defense attorneys pressed the youngest sister, the first witness for the prosecution, on dates and specific details of the alleged abuse, some of which changed between her police interview in 2013 and in-court testimony. The youngest sister recalled that after one of the alleged sexual abuses, Verna Lehmann comforted her, telling her she was having a nightmare. The young woman stated multiple times that the wife was very kind to her and never harmed her. Allen Lehmann is charged with nine counts of first-degree sexual abuse, three counts of first-degree sodomy and one count of first-degree rape. The wife faces three counts of complicity first-degree sexual abuse and facilitation charges of first-degree rape and first-degree sodomy. The sisters have also filed a civil suit against Lehmann and the religious organizations he was a member of, reincorporating the claims of sexual abuse and alleging that the religious groups transferred Lehmann to other churches when abuse allegations surfaced. That suit is pending. The jury trial is set to continue Thursday before Circuit Judge Barry Willett. Reporter Matthew Glowicki can be reached at 502-582-4989 or mglowicki@courier-journal.com
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