7/15/09 – AP: Witness: Tony Alamo controlled everything
Mercury News
July 15, 2009
By Jon Gambrell
Witness: Evangelist controlled everything
A woman whose parents and grandparents followed evangelist Tony Alamo testified at his sex-crime trial Wednesday that “Papa Tony” segregated children by gender to prevent “hanky-panky” and controlled everything at his religious compound.
The 30-year-old said children in the compound were not allowed to go to public schools and instead took classes that Alamo himself approved. She also said obtaining food or clothing, or borrowing a car from the motor pool, had to be OK’d by the pastor.
Alamo is accused of taking five girls across state lines for sex. The woman did not testify about any specific allegations before the judge ordered a recess so workers could fix broken equipment in the courtroom.
Alamo has pleaded not guilty.