OAN’s James Meyers
2:42 PM – Monday, June 24, 2024
The Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal from Josh Duggar, a former reality television star who was convicted of downloading child sexual abuse material online.
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Duggar starred on the TLC reality television show “19 Kids and Counting” with his large family before the 2021 conviction.
He was sentenced to 12 years in prison after he was convicted of both receiving and possessing child pornography, according to court records.
Duggar tried to argue that a former employee of his who had a prior sex-offense conviction was responsible for the illicit material found on his computer when federal agents executed a search warrant at his business back in 2019.
However, the trial court declined to allow Duggar to introduce the prior conviction as evidence, unless he could first establish that the employee had access to the computer.
The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed that decision last year.
In response to the ruling, Duggar told the Supreme Court that the decision deprived him of his right to present a complete defense in violation of the sixth Amendment.
Additionally, TLC canceled “19 Kids and Counting” in 2015 following allegations that Duggar had molested four of his sisters and a babysitter of theirs prior. Authorities began the investigation after receiving a tip from a family friend but concluded that the statute of limitations on any possible charges had expired.
Duggar’s parents also admitted after the allegations resurfaced in 2015 that he had “confessed to the fondling” and apologized privately. He then apologized publicly for unspecified behavior and resigned as a lobbyist for the Family Research Council.
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