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Family Law Keyed to Weisberg
People v. Hodges
Facts
At trial, the victim, 20 year old Christine, testified that she had attended South Bay Christian Academy. At 17 she sought help from appellant Hodges (president of the school and pastor of the church) by telling him that her stepfather, a minister in the church, had been molesting her for many years. Hodges informed her stepfather of the allegations, and told Christine the next day that her stepfather had confessed to everything, that he would be handling the situation, and that she should not tell anyone. A few days later, Hodges told Christine that he had sent her stepfather to a retreat and handed her a letter of apology from her stepfather. He insisted on having her mother and stepfather come into the office after she read the letter against her wishes. She pleaded with Mr. Hodges to not make her go home with her parents because she was frightened of her stepfather, but he arranged to have her parents pick her up from school the next day. Instead, she ran away. She also told others about the situation. She was instructed to return, and on doing so met with appellants Hodges and Nobbs. Hodges told her unless she returned home she would not be allowed to return to school and graduate. She returned home and left immediately after graduation. Mr. Hodges was subsequently asked during investigation why he did not report the information to police or child protective services or if he knew he was mandated to report. He told the officer he knew of the reporting laws, and understood he was a mandated reporter. He told the officer he wished to take care of the matter within the church, and that he disciplined the father by having him write the letter of apology and confess in front of the entire congregation. Additionally, Hodges took away his ministerial license. Hodges testified that he did not contact the police because he believed that his role in the matter was a pastoral one, and that the incidents were sins rather than sexual abuse. Mr. Nob bs testified he believed he had been acting in a pastoral capacity as assistant pastor.
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