42 charges in Mohler sex-abuse case

That's after authorities filed 11 more charges in the case on Thursday, Don Bradley reports. Today's report has more about the allegations:

The alleged abuse occurred from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s, when the sisters ranged in age from 5 to mid-teens. The case broke when one went to police in August. Her siblings have since supported her version of events.

They told investigators they remembered being taken from location to location for photographs on beds with naked men and in provocative poses. In 1988, several of the sisters ran away to flee the abuse, but they later returned home. As punishment, their father, Burrell Mohler Jr., allegedly made them watch him sodomize another sibling.

Investigators also seized several dozen videotapes from one Mohler son's house in Columbia, though until they actually tell us what's on the tapes, I'm not sure how big a deal that is.

Also -- Fox 4 contacted a former church leader who says he heard about the allegations years ago.

A former Mormon Bishop in Independence, Mo., said during the time of the alleged abuse, the wife of Burrel Mohler Jr. told him several times she feared Mohler Jr. was abusing their children.

... Bishop Paul Tonga headed the Mormon church at the time Mohler Jr.'s family attended. He would only speak to FOX 4 by phone. Tonga said he spent a lot of time questioning Burrel Jr. and his children, but learned nothing. "He denied the accusation," Tonga said. "Nobody admitted anything for the children."

Tonga said his investigation ended there. He did not explain why he never contacted police.

Comments

[JP]

Evidence, other than these reports?


Have they found a body? Wouldn't there be medical evidence of an individual who had a backwood country abortion??? Why was the "Special Task Force" disbanned???


I will reserve my judgment until evidence that proves these acts. I would think if this happened the better part of 10 years, they should find something. But they would rather release other information that will cause the trial to be moved, costing the poor taxpayers MORE money. I feel sorry for anyone that has property taxes in this county.

[JH]

I can not believe that you are more worried about taxpayers money. These sick *@#$@ may have possibly ruined several individuals lives!!! What is wrong with you!!! I just can't believe how sick the world we live in has become. It makes me want to vomit everytime I hear anything about this case.

[JP]

JH,

I think you missed my point. I would like to see true evidence b4 judgment is passed that would justify the cost of bankrupting a small missouri county. I have lived in many different places and I have seen many times these types of cases become a wash or are the way individuals get the "ultimate revenge" on someone. If evidence proves this all to be true, all this work is truly priceless.

Yes the stuff on the g'pa is a little unsettling, but what the items released to the press, do they pretain to the case?

[Jellybean]

So, the EX wife has been running around for years saying the dad was abusive - but never contacting authorities. Now as adults, her kids finally were able to "remember" the abuse they never told anyone about before.
Sounds an awful lot like Gary Ramona's case. Parental Alienation (a/k/a bad-mouthing dad)by an ex-spouse is frequently a precurser to the production of false memories.
Ramona won a $400K judgment against the therapist. Maybe Fox 4 could look into that? But, it doesn't fit the current agenda I suppose.

[Lou]

That the Task Force disbanded suggests that at least some in law enforcement believe the murders never happened. And if that was just a story, then what about all these other stories? Where is the evidence? In particular, what was on on those videotapes? Nothing relevant, most likely, or we would have heard. This all sounds to me like law enforcement went off half cocked and are now in desperation mode, hoping that something develops.

[C-DOGG]

In my opinion something did happen. I do doubt that it is as extensive as all of the charges. Remember Wenatchee? They pressed over 16,000 charges on people and EVERY SINGLE count was thrown out after destroying an entire town!

The authorities should be very to limit the charges to what they can prove because if there is too much heresy it leads to confusion and the prosecution will have a tough time proving anything.

In my opinion the authorities are screwing up their ability to find the truth and because of this witch hunt they will not be able to get convictions they want. Terrible. You can't just charge people on what someone remembers happened 20 years ago it just doesn't fly in a fair and functioning legal system.

Please if any investigators are reading this DON'T SCREW IT UP. Find the PROOF you need and then press charges and GET THE BAD GUYS!!!!

Playing on the media's exuberance alone will not win this court battle!

[Jellybean]

Dude, Wenatchee was actually almost 30,000 charges. And not only was it all thrown out, but the DOZENS of men accused won a $3M judgement against the city for smearing their good names in the press.

[J.Rollins]

I don't think they can press charges without evidence. They found a ton of videotapes and who knows what else.

[lovey]

just earlier this year, a womans attackers were charged and convicted. she later recounted her story saying she lied. then one of her attackers came forward and said that the woman was lying, because she was attacked. the attackers claims that she just wants the truth out and for everyone to move on. this is while the attacker is serving time. why did the lady who was rape change her story? look at the comments on this board. i think that most rape allegations are based in truth. i think most of you people are rapist who count on the fact without evidence it is your word against theirs. you people are sickkkkkkkkkk. this is probably exactly why they took so long to come out. they had these horrible things happen to them, then they have a whole community calling them a liar. their family not helping them. i have lost faith in humanity. this scoiety really values their sex offenders as long as they know their victims. it is because of people like you defending these monsters that gives up ane coming monsters the courage to gang outside of a school. did you people read the criminal report? repressed memory doesnt mean forgotten, it is code for i dont want to think about it. repressed is probably code for why didnt my mother go to the cops then.

[Truthfull]

In Wenatchee case, seventeen adults pled guilty to sexually abusing children, six adults were found guilty by trial, four cases were dismissed, and three adults were acquitted. Of the 22 convictions, nine cases were appealed. Thus far the appellate court has upheld seven of the nine convictions.

[AJ]

lovely,

Good comment. I tend to think with all of this SICK crap coming out DAILY about this case that there really is a SERIOUS case, I mean the cops/prosecutors are not going to leak everything to the press. Also, HELLO the pastor of the church said that this gal came forward...whom of which I blame almost as much as these sick SOB's for not going to the police. Also, a lot of people develop many "survival" disorders after stuff like this, such as multiple personality disorder, etc. I can see why they never wanted to think/talk about it!!!

[kbp]

Bradley's article states:
"...In court documents to support the latest charges, the sisters told of bestiality, mock weddings, sex in a church and being made to have sexual contact with each other while their father, grandfather and uncles watched and laughed."
"...They told investigators they remembered being taken from location to location for photographs on beds with naked men and in provocative poses.
In 1988, several of the sisters ran away to flee the abuse, but they later returned home. As punishment, their father, Burrell Mohler Jr., allegedly made them watch him sodomize another sibling.
This is the FIRST time I have seen anything reported that actually has included allegations involving SEX to have also been reported by the "sisters". The closest I've seen to that was merely "ABUSE", which could be as minor as verbal abuse.

No matter what the outcome is here, I believe it is best for all to have questioned the absence of more information that substantiated the claims made by the one sister, through recovery of "suppressed memories", than to just drink the koolaid and follow along blindly.

[Jellybean]

Truthfull, I think some of your info is incorrect:
"By the time it was done, at least 60 adults were arrested on 29,726 charges of child sex-abuse involving 43 children. Many of the accused were poor or developmentally disabled.

In February 1998, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer published "The Power to Harm," a series of articles that documented overzealous -- even abusive -- actions by Perez and social service caseworkers, civil rights violations by judges and prosecutors as well as sloppy work by public defenders.

Since then, many of the convicted have been freed by higher courts, largely through the work of The Innocence Project, a group of volunteer lawyers."

That is Wenatchee. They used to show boxes and boxes of videos taken from the homes on the news. Not ONE abusive image on ANY of the videos. Just smoke and mirrors.

[mandy hilburn]

Who would possibly put that about tax payers OBVIOUSLY is missing a brain... I agree lets hear the facts but there are just way to many people coming out with these allogations. The priest knew, they found child porn, pics of these men naked with their children, video, letters. What more proof is needed to believe these children. Did it ever dawn on the tax payer genious that the mother and kids feared what would be done to them for telling... 10 times worse then they had. At the age of 5 this was going on. At an early age they were conditioned to not only fear but would know nothing different. Being you are from the back woods yourself I am sure this is the norm for you... I would venture to guess you dont even pay taxes!!!

[Stifled Freedom]

Like there are not sufficient charges already. What good is the dogpile now? Just grandstanding?

[mandy hilburn]

OMG and lets not forget they have been in jail for what a week... AND THEY HAVE not denied a single thing. DUH they have pictures and over 70 videos. No wonder they are not shouting from the roof tops!!

[duane]

They have not denied anything because they are in jail, or perhaps they are denying it to the the guards. They haven't had a chance to speak yet.

This whole case is ridiculous, now a victim is claiming they were forced to have sex with a horse. I don't believe any of it.

[Jellybean]

You guys are making up evidence. They didn't find child porn, naked pictures, or incriminating letters of any sort what-so-ever. None. You made that up in your own head.
They haven't spoken because they have not been appointed counsel. It takes awhile to find 4 different public defenders. Only one has counsel and he's just now getting to speak with his client.

I think it's because it involves sex. The general public are a bunch of perverts who will believe any ridiculous crap told to them as long as it involves sex.

[James Hart]

Jellybean is right about why we haven't heard much from the Mohlers in court. I was talking to Don about this a little earlier.

[Jellybean]

Am I right about the general public being perverts too? LOL

[Annoyed]

Yes you are JB

[JP]

Missing a brain? That is a "shut down" comment just because we don't see eye-to-eye. But you are not using yours correctly if you are listing to the junk news and haven't realized nothing has been reported that is evidence on these charges. This is what is wrong with the America and the media. People like this could be members of a jury...

[GunGirl]

Where there's smoke there"s fire......"porn confiscated included magazines such as Family Taboo, Best of Family Secrets and Best of Family Touch" I'm not a porn connoisseur but those don't sound like your average Debbie Does Dallas flics. Oh and I could be wrong but having "videos showing girls under age 17," is a crime...again where there's smoke there's fire! Now Im not encouraging you to "make judgements" I'm just saying good ol common sense might be in order....kinda like getting ready to walk into a bank and seeing a guy with a gun and a mask...I'm not waiting for the judge to decide if he is a bank robber, Im using some of that common sense... and getting the heck outta there...know what I mean??

[Jellybean]

Sometimes there's just people making a lot of smoke and then claiming that YOU set a fire. All it takes is a little smoke and a lot of mirrors.

Did he pick out that specific porn piece by piece himself at this local porn shop or just pick up a big box of hodgepodge porn at a yardsale or while helping to clean a neighbor's garage?

If there are no bodies buried in the places that the bodies of the 2 babies and one man were supposed to be buried and no evidence that there ever was - are we still supposed to believe the rest of the claims?
Why? Because they involve SEX?

[JP]

JB, I am in agreement with you. I am not going to waste my time on the rest.

[Annoyed]

Also the DA said they havn't even watched the vidoes yet and don't know what's on them. You saying they have vidoes of people under 17 is not based on anything other than conjecture and shock style "reporting", and I use that term loosly.

[Bernard]

there sure is a lot of hardliner-opinions for a case that is just barely coming out to the public. It took longer to read the thread than article. I hope these allegations are completely false, however if even one of them is true, I hope these boys get manhandled soon, for the rest of their lives.

[Tlynn]

This is insane. Some posters are more concerned about finding a body as evidence then seeing the evidence they currently have and admiting that this happened. There is tons of evidedence right in front on the paper we read. The mother who has come forward to say her children told her something before and she took it to the church, now the church leader comes forward and says he remembers the mother coming forward and he investigated it himself but never took it to the police. THIS IS INSANE these people are wack jobs. They seem to think they live in their own world with there own set of rules and the children are the ones who paid the hefty burden of those laws. I myself believe there is enough evidence here to say this happened. It does NOT matter how much of this happend and how much may be trauma related memories Moliestation has happend to these children and that is all that matters. There are videos, books, child ponography (which by the way is illegal no matter who you are or wher you live) ther ar adults coming forward to admit to hearing this before when it was suposedly going on . There is enough illegal activity on paper to tell me they are guilty. It is horendous, un imagadable and horrific at best. Makes me feel ill that there are people in this world who are out there that do this. Some are so quick to jump to their deffese maybe because this is so horrific and un imagiable but you have to force yourself to see the evidence we have in front of us tells us this is real. god holds their fait and only him can provide the ultimate punishment and healing needed.

[Lou]

Tlynn: So far, no physical evidence has been reported. As for the mother, suspicions are not evidence. Reporting suspicions is not evidence. And memories recovered with hypnosis won't be admissible unless there is physical evidence to back them up. If these alleged crimes actually occurred, there should be physical evidence. If there isn't, then most likely the allegations are not true. Unfortunately, this sort of thing happens frequently when hypnosis is used, which is why hypnotically enhanced testimony is generally not allowed.

[huh?]

wow, when did the comments section become the 'write a pamplet' section?

I'm still reserving judgement until I hear of any hard evidence. But my 'opinion' is they are going to find it in the home videos.

[Tlynn]

I have followed this story from the begining. No where have I seen a reference to sex with a horse. it wsa with the famliy German shepard dog. Also The material found in the sr. home which was the magazines are not your typical porno mags they are the incest kind, the kind you hide, the kind that tells you something is wrong with this picture and as far as the video, well the police I am sure have watch at least some of them. Of course they are not going to tell the media because if it has the content of what we are afraid that is on there it will blow this case out of the water. They will not try this in the media. This started back in August. They have to have substanial evidence to arrest someone now in November.

[Tlynn]

Lou
No where have I read Hypnosis was used for these memories. It is my understanding that these were repressed memories but nothing about the alleged victims having hypnosis to bring them out.

I am just saying I think there is enough substantial evidence out here for ME to make my decission that there has been some bad things happen to these children. I have faith and experience in the law enforcement to know that if this was started in August when it came to light and they are now arresting the accused that there is substantial evidence to arrest someone and there is guilt there. I also know there bonds are relativly low and no one so far has posted bond and only One of the people have an attorney. In my experience there appears to be no one that wants to take on their legal battle of these accused for what they are afraid the truth will reveal. This isnt a case that will make your career if your defending monsters like they are accused of being.

[Jellybean]

That's ridiculous. Even in cases where guilt is known by an extreme amount of evidence, the defense is as important to the conviction as the prosecution. Without an adequate defense, any conviction would be overturned. This is how Dennis Moore made his name big.
It's a huge feather in the cap of a defense attorney to handle a big case like this - it's just difficult because it's so time consuming and most are suffering from a case overload as it is.

[GunGirl]

JB

If there is smoke there IS fire somewhere. It may or may not be a "4 alarm" fire but a fire nun the less. And there is plenty of smoke comming from everywhere in this case!

Can you honestly say you dont see the red flags? Would you still send your child to that home for a week? I'm not saying they are absolutely guilty of all the charges, however SOMETHING is wrong ... if not everything!

[Drasil]

jellybean - just a question. Are you a psychologist or a lawyet? I've read many of your posts on this subject and it strikes me that your keeping case files indicates one or the other. Nothing derogatory meant by the question, just curious.

[Tom K]

Tlynn, too many people have learned too much about these "satanic panic" extravaganzas. We don't believe until we get better evidence. I'm sorry but "recovered" memories are automatically suspect. I think I'd remember it if it happened to me.

[Jellybean]

Drasil -I was once named as a victim in a very similar case back in the early days of the hysteria. One of my relatives recovered memories against another family member, then another, then more people in the community. Some other relatives then followed and "recovered memories" supporting her accusations. I was in a unique position because I was remembered as having been one of the abused. Eighteen years worth of brutal rapes, and other mean nasty stuff. I REFUSED to see their therapist and instead supported the accused. Thus, the lawsuit against them died on the vine. It's not that I don't recall being abused - I distinctly recall having NOT been abused, despite what a therapist whose never met me says about me. The therapist has since lost her license to practice (but still does)and my accusing relatives still believe their "memories".

Having watched my family virtually destroyed, I became more than a little interested in what had caused these sudden revelations in people whom I've known my entire life. I spent several years studying the phenomemon. This story unfolds much like that of my own experience and hundreds of others whom I have met through my efforts.

Yes, I have plenty of case files. I know more about this issue than I know about the area in which I hold a degree.
Thanks for asking. I had been determined the first couple of days not to reveal much if any of my personal experience. But, to put things into context, I guess it is necessary.

[Jellybean]

To(somewhat) answer Gungirl's question: I DO trust my own children in the care of the accused family members of my own family. I trust them implictly. I am more leery of the accusers, afraid that they will speak of their "memories" in front of my kids. I still love the accusers. They are not bad or lying. They truly believe what they claim. They are just not grounded in reality.

BTW - the accused still love the accusers also. There are no good/bad guys in these situations. It's just sad all around.

[duane]

They found a variety of porn mags in this guy's basement. The so-called "incest" porn magazines he owned are legal and available on amazon.com and the subjects are paid to pretend they are sisters, mom/daughter, etc..
Yeah, with all these absurd charges they must be guilty of something, I guess we should convict on all counts just to be on the safe side eh?
I agree with Jellybean, the only reason the people believe these ludicrous charges is because sex is involved.
"Idiocracy" is closer than we think.

[Judy Jones]

Statement from Judy Jones, SNAP Director, 636-433-2511
SNAP "Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests'" and all clergy.

We're saddened but not shocked that a church member reported child sex crimes by a church official to other church officials. That's a disastrous, but commonplace response, event these days.

When will we ever learn that child sex crimes are crimes and should be reported to and investigated by the trained professionals in law enforcement.

Let's hope that police and prosecutors go after not just the perpetrators, but also the enablers in the church hierarchy who essentially helped these predators assault these kids by their silence.

http://www.snapnetwork.org/

Judy Jones, of St Louis, SNAP Ohio Director, (636) 433 2511,
David Clohessy of St. Louis, SNAP National Director (314) 566 9790 cell,
Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, SNAP Outreach Director (314) 862 7688, (314) 503 0003 cell

[duane]

The so-called "incest" porn they found is legal and available on amazon.com
Yeah, with all these charges they must be guilty of something so we should convict on all counts just to be on the safe side eh?
I agree if any charges involve kiddy sex the public will believe anything and swallow it hook, line, and sinker no matter how ludicrous the allegations are. Our country is fast becoming an "Idiocracy".

A primer on the Daycare sex panics and Sataninc Ritual abuse hoax should be required reading for all HS students.

[Tom K]

That primer on sex panics should be required reading for all prosecuting attorneys and law enforcement officers. The thing is, will they use the information correctly or just use it to take advantage of people?

[Searching]

42 charges..42 comments.. something creepy about that... had to change it.

[Tom K]

Yeah, but who was searching?

[Jellybean]

I thought this comment from an accused father (in a different case, obviously) really put it well:
"I went through Vietnam. This was harder. In Vietnam there were other people going through the same thing. This, you're going
through it alone. And in Vietnam you could shoot back."
- A Dad, a Doc, a Vet

[Tom K]

It would be interesting to do some research and find out how far back this kind of accusing goes.

[Jellybean]

I could answer that, but it's not a short answer like just a date - it's a long answer involving the developement of the theories. So in short: It originated with Sigmund Freud. If you really want to know more, say so and meet me in the Open Thread.

BTW- there's a $1000 reward offered by a researcher if you can find such a thing in the literature prior to 1800.

[duane]

The bestiality allegations have expanded from dog f@@king to horse f@@king.

"The woman reported that Mohler Sr. had promised to take her and another alleged victim to a horse pasture, but when they arrived, Burrel Mohler Jr. and Jared Mohler allegedly took the girls and had them have sexual contact with horses. Another girl has also claimed that she was made to have sexual contact with a horse, according to court records."

How sad, they thought they were going to ride horses but instead were ridden by the horses. Perhaps by tomorrow morning we will hear stories they were taken to the local zoo and gang banged by a troupe of gorillas or forced to have sex with an Elephant...all of this while no one was "looking".
I love this case, what new atrocity will be uncovered next.
Evidence? Who needs evidence?..."the children don't lie!, believe the children!"

[Tom K]

I could listen a little on the Open Thread. Some of this material is so old to me that it's new again. I haven't read it since around 1990.

I'm familiar with the idea of hypnotherapy to "recover" memories and I have been long familiar with the idea that a hypnotist could make a person believe just about anything by suggestion. It may or may not have been the first case but the McMartin Preschool case was the one that I remember where a bunch of investigators seemed to simply move the line as they stepped over it. The way that they can do something like that, get away with it, and then seem to make it the "new" way to do things fascinates me.

[Jellybean]

See the OT, Tom.