Father beat New York teen with cord in fatal church attack

Near the start of a church counseling session that turned into a deadly beating, a father whipped his two teenage sons with what appeared to be a belt, a witness testified Friday.

Details emerged in court of the cult-like Word of Life Christian Church in New Hartford, N.Y., which adheres to fundamentalist principles and a literal interpretation of the Bible, and supposedly fostered an increasingly violent environment spearheaded by its preacher, based on witness accounts.

Police said that Lucas Leonard had expressed a desire to leave the church, and that may have led to the counseling session with church members.

Other witnesses at the hearing on Friday included the state police investigators who interrogated both Bruce and Deborah Leonard following their son’s death. At a court hearing on Friday, a judge ruled there was sufficient evidence to sustain the charges.

Oneida County District Attorney Scott McNamara said there was not enough evidence to charge the couple with murder.

Police say additional charges and arrests are still pending. Ferguson has pleaded not guilty to assault. Christopher in serious condition.

Though Daniel Irwin testified that he had never sat through an entire counseling session, he said it was not typical for violence to take place during such events.

State police Investigator Todd Grant testified Friday he didn’t ask the mother, Deborah Leonard, what those things were. He said his sister, Pastor Tiffanie Irwin, hosted the session involving the Leonard family. Inserra said Bruce Leonard told hospital workers his son had been beaten so severely because he had molested at least one child.

Joseph Irwin and Sarah Ferguson appeared in court in orange jumpsuits and shackled with chains around their waists.

Authorities say Lucas Leonard’s 17-year-old brother, Christopher Leonard, was beaten and seriously injured.

“The most genuine and caring people I have ever known”, Whitney Gilmore captioned an Instagram photo of his mother and stepfather, Deborah and Bruce Leonard, beaming at the camera during a wedding anniversary outing.

Deborah Leonard’s attorney, Devin Garramone, said his client had a stent put in due to a heart condition and requires constant medical attention.

Irwin, another member of the church said that he saw everything through a window.

Even the pastor at a church next door, the Rev. Abraham Esper, said he’d had little contact with Word of Life, except in letters he wrote complaining about noisy dogs and music.

Firefighters expect to have favorable weather this weekend to help contain a rural Texas wildfire that has destroyed about 50 structures and consumed more than 7 miles of scorched and bone-dry forestland.

Attempts to reach church members earlier this week were unsuccessful. He has worked as a farmer and, more recently, a teaching assistant at a local high school.