Teen beaten in NY church is out of hospital, will testify

Although a few former members say the church is indeed a cult, others insist it is not.

Authorities have charged a man with second-degree murder after he called a Milwaukee television news station and discussed details of a cold case involving a Milwaukee seventh-grade girl whose body was found more…

A judge in Central New York has ruled that prosecutors have enough evidence to proceed against the two parents and its four other accomplices. The District Attorney’s Office would not comment on a motive and said they have 45 days to present their case to a grand jury. They have all been charged with manslaughter, with bail set at $100,000. Christopher also was struck in the back. Both defense attorneys unsuccessfully asked for the charges to be dismissed, saying prosecutors hadn’t submitted sufficient proof to justify a manslaughter charge.

According to investigators, Christopher Leonard and his brother, 19-year-old Lucas, were beaten at the Word of Life Church last weekend.

Another witness, State Police Sgt. Todd Grant, said Bruce Leonard made admissions about what happened to his son and agreed to write a statement.

State police Investigator Todd Grant testified Friday he didn’t ask the mother, Deborah Leonard, what those things were.

Christopher Leonard is now under the supervision of Oneida County Child Protective Services. A preliminary hearing has be scheduled for Friday for the four who were charged with assault.

However it was severely painful and intense from the start for Lucas and his brother. Daniel Irwin, who lives in the church, said the session ended when people thought Lucas had died. He helped load the teen’s body into a van to send him to the hospital.

These include Lucas and Christopher’s 33-year-old sister Sarah Ferguson. The newspaper reported that Irwin said Lucas Leonard was one of them and that he was going to make a voodoo doll of a church leader.

All of the animals are now in foster care, said Strong.

Handville left Word of Life Christian Church in June 2000. Ferguson is charged with assault for her alleged role in Christoper’s beating.

Church members and a neighbor have told police that Lucas wanted to leave the church, possibly to join the Army, NBC reports. She says the home of Bruce and Deborah Leonard – arrested in the October. 11 beatings – had four neglected dogs, three birds and several cats in and around their home. Police say it was an electrical cord.

New Hartford Police Lt. Timothy O’Neill said Friday that David and Linda Morey have been released.

Authorities believe the attack was prompted by the brothers’ desire to leave the church. “We still have not concluded why the session turned so violent”, he said.

Don Gerace, attorney for Bruce Leonard, has entered a not-guilty plea on behalf of his client, whom he said has no criminal history and has lived in the community more than two decades.